More than 220 UK MPs urge Starmer to recognise Palestinian state
Some 220 British MPs have called on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to follow France's footsteps in recognising a Palestinian state in a letter sent on Friday.
The MPs - about a third of lawmakers in the House of Commons - represent all four major parties in Britain: Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party.
"We write to you in advance of the UN Conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on the 28th-29th July in New York, to put on record our support for UK recognition of a Palestinian state," the letter reads.
"We are expectant that the outcome of the conference will be the UK Government outlining when and how it will act on its long-standing commitment on a two-state solution; as well as how it will work with international partners to make this a reality."
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that France will recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
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The plan follows similar moves by Spain, Norway and Ireland last year, and has drawn strong condemnation from Israel and the United States.
On Friday, Starmer said that the British government would recognise a Palestinian state only as part of a negotiated peace deal, disappointing many within his Labour Party.
One Labour MP told Reuters there was dissatisfaction within the party over Starmer's failure to take stronger diplomatic steps to condemn Israel, as Gaza descends into famine.
At least 122 Palestinians, including 80 children, have died of starvation since Israel's blockade resumed in March, including 15 who died of malnutrition on Monday, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has publicly opposed unilateral recognition, insisting earlier this year that the UK would only recognise a Palestinian state "when we know it’s going to happen and it’s in sight".
"Whilst we appreciate the UK does not have it in its power to bring about a free and independent Palestine, UK recognition would have a significant impact due to our historic connections and our membership on the UN Security Council, so we urge you to take this step," the letter to Starmer read.
"British recognition of Palestine would be particularly powerful given its role as the author of the Balfour Declaration and the former Mandatory Power in Palestine. Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance as well as living up to a historic responsibility we have to the people under that Mandate."
Successive British governments have maintained that they will officially recognise a Palestinian state when the time is right. However, they have not provided a timeline or outlined what conditions must be met.
The MPs' letter comes two days after more than 30 former UK ambassadors and 20 former senior British diplomats at the UN also urged the prime minister to recognise a Palestinian state.
In a joint letter, the diplomats said the “deadly status quo” in Gaza, amid Israel’s two-year war on the enclave, could be broken by recognising Palestine.
The signatories of the joint statement included former UK ambassadors to Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria and Turkey.