British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the United Kingdom will recognize Palestine as a state by September unless Israel takes specific actions to end the Gaza conflict and commit to lasting peace.
Following an emergency cabinet meeting Tuesday, a government statement revealed Starmer’s conditions: Israel must agree to a ceasefire, halt plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, and support a political path toward a two-state solution. Recognition could occur before the UN General Assembly in New York if these demands aren’t met.
The statement emphasized that “there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas” and outlined parallel demands for Hamas to release all hostages, agree to a ceasefire, accept exclusion from Gaza’s future government, and disarm.
Starmer called ministers back from summer holidays to discuss a draft European-led peace initiative and plans for increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, where the UN has warned of impending famine.
This represents a significant departure from previous UK policy. While past governments have supported Palestinian statehood “when the time is right,” none has publicly established a specific deadline or detailed such explicit preconditions.
Israel strongly criticized the announcement, describing it as a “reward for Hamas” that would undermine diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war. Israel’s Foreign Ministry claimed via social media that the UK’s move would damage ceasefire prospects, though Israel broke the last negotiated ceasefire in March.
Starmer reportedly informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the plan during a phone call before the public announcement, though conversation details remain undisclosed. US President Donald Trump denied discussing Britain’s recognition plans with Starmer, telling reporters, “We never did discuss it.”
The proposal reflects growing pressure within Starmer’s Labour Party, with over half of Labour backbench MPs signing a letter urging government recognition of Palestinian statehood as leverage for peace negotiations.
Defending the announcement’s timing and conditions, Starmer cited the “intolerable situation” in Gaza and concerns that the two-state solution was becoming increasingly distant. “This is intended to further that cause,” he explained. “It’s done now because I’m particularly concerned that the idea of a two-state solution is reducing and feels further away today than it has for many years.”
Recognition would form part of an eight-point peace plan that the UK has developed with European partners. French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced France would formally recognize Palestine, making it the largest European nation to do so. EU members Norway, Spain, and Ireland have previously recognized Palestinian statehood.
Labour MP Sarah Champion, who organized the letter to Starmer, argued there would never be a perfect moment for recognition but warned this might be the final opportunity. “What we do have, however, is the perfect storm to prevent a two-state solution ever happening,” she stated. “It is now or never if we believe in Palestinians’ right to recognition.”
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