London [UK], July 30 (ANI): United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to recognize a Palestinian state ahead of September’s United Nations General Assembly, Downing Street announced on Tuesday.
Starmer made the commitment during a special Cabinet meeting, stating that “now was the right time to move this position forward” due to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the fading hopes for a viable peace process. The Israeli government immediately rejected the move, labeling it a “reward for Hamas,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced it as “appeasement,” according to Politico.
Starmer emphasized that unless the Israeli government takes “substantive steps” to end the Gaza conflict and recommits to a peace process aimed at achieving a two-state solution, the UK will proceed with recognizing Palestine in September. He reiterated that Hamas must release all remaining hostages, disarm, and accept exclusion from any future governing role in Gaza.
In an address at Downing Street, Starmer cited the urgent need for action, noting that the peace process is “under threat” and that there has been a “catastrophic failure” in delivering humanitarian aid. “We see starving babies, children too weak to stand—images that will stay with us for a lifetime,” he said.
Speaking at a United Nations conference in New York, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy reinforced the UK’s historical responsibility in the region. “Britain bears a special burden of responsibility to support a two-state solution,” he said, according to Politico.
The announcement represents a major shift in the UK’s foreign policy after weeks of harrowing footage from Gaza showing widespread hunger and devastation. One Labour MP, speaking anonymously, described the move as “the biggest change in the UK’s approach in a generation.”
It remains uncertain how Starmer’s position will be received—whether it will satisfy party backbenchers and international partners advocating for bold action, or prove too provocative for figures like former US President Donald Trump, who has shown skepticism about recognizing Palestine.
Lammy concluded his speech by saying the UK will act “with the hand of history on its shoulder,” a remark met with applause at the UN.
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