Times letters: British recognition of a Palestinian state

Times

2 days ago

Write to [e-mail]
Sir, Lord Hermer, the attorney-general, must surely advise the prime minister that Palestine does not meet the four international law criteria for recognition of a state, namely: a defined territory, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. There is no certainty over its borders; many of the residents of the territories are described as refugees, by definition living outside their own country and waiting to be resettled elsewhere; there is no one government; and such governments as there are, Fatah and Hamas, do not appear capable of making binding treaties or of joining forces.Baroness DeechHouse of Lords
Sir, The situation in Gaza is deplorable and it would be understandable if Britain applied pressure on Israel through economic sanctions. However, moderate liberals in Israel who have for decades backed a two-state solution no longer support that process. How can a two-state solution be imposed on the only democracy in the Middle East when no party in Israel will be elected in the foreseeable future to give effect to it? Futile gesture politics by Britain weakens our standing in the world.Mark BernsteinStoney Stanton, Leics
Sir, The PM says he plans to recognise Palestine as a state if Israel does not comply with certain conditions. How on earth can statehood be contingent upon the actions of another government? Either the Palestinians are ready to become an independent nation or they are not.Jeremy SharmanLondon N20
Sir, I look forward to Sir Keir Starmer's definition of the borders of Palestine. Bertrand Russell said that, for a peaceful solution, Israel must return to its pre-June 1967 borders. Starmer should be aware of this when he issues his final proposal. I trust he will also make provision to ensure there is no Israeli encircling blockade and that Palestinians have the same freedoms of travel as the citizens of other states.David DiproseThame, Oxon
Sir, Those who object to the recognition of a Palestinian state on the grounds that it is impossible and illogical to do so without knowing its borders appear to forget that Israel is the only state that has consistently refused to declare its own borders. Should it therefore also be denied recognition?Brendan RussellEsher, Surrey
Sir, The recognition of Palestinian statehood is a right, not a bargaining tool; it must be unconditional, as was the establishment of Israel. Statehood for what remains of Palestine is now an urgent and essential first step to prevent its complete annexation.Geoffrey MallettEsher, Surrey
Sir, Marco Rubio says that recognising Palestine 'only serves Hamas propaganda'. A much greater boost for Hamas propaganda is the indiscriminate killing of women and children in Gaza, the use of starvation as a weapon of war, the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory in the West Bank and the refusal to accept the internationally approved agreement of a two-state solution.
Benjamin Netanyahu has done more as a recruiting sergeant for Hamas than anything it could ever have achieved without him.Bill DalyGlasgow
Sir, Daniel Finkelstein neatly sets out the reasons why an an inquiry is unnecessary but, if the Orgreave coals must be raked over then they should be done (as he suggests) in the widest possible context. Local police officers stood shoulder to shoulder (with constables from Hull, Harlow and Halifax) for months and, with the minimal protection offered by a gabardine mac and a wooden stick, tried to ensure that those wishing to work could do so ('Orgreave inquiry serves no one but Labour', Jul 30).
Why were certain policing decisions made? Because it was 40 years ago and that's the way things were done. Why did thousands of Nottinghamshire miners (and others) form a breakaway union? Because they were fed up with being dictated to by Arthur Scargill — a stubborn leader and Marxist who denied them a chance to vote — and who ensured the demise of his own industry and sped up wider union reform.Richard HillMetropolitan Police constable (ret'd), Pirton, Herts
Sir, Amid all the focus on pay, there is a tendency to gloss over the fact that 30,000 competent applicants for training for 10,000 specialist places is a planning catastrophe carried out by the Department of Health, Health Education England, the Treasury, regional NHS deaneries and others over a 20-year period ('Thousands of junior doctors cannot find jobs in NHS', Jul 30). The BMA would do well to concentrate on this rather than many other areas for the future benefit of its members.
There needs to be a specific inquiry into this lasting fewer than 12 months, recommending change and naming — and taking sanctions against — specific individuals. Clearly no post should be given to an overseas graduate initially when there is a competent UK-trained candidate available. This is a planning scandal almost without precedent even in the NHS. Needless to say, the availability of suitable training posts needs to increase massively and rapidly. It's not as if there aren't enough patients requiring treatment.Professor Anthony Goldstone FRCPFormer medical director, UCLH NHS Trust; Radlett, Herts
Sir, Professor Roger Seifert (letter, Jul 29) raises some valid objections to reducing the rights of public-sector workers but is wrong to suppose that removing legal immunities from public sector strikes means that strikers could be 'arrested and dragged off to jail'. Section 236 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 prevents a court from granting an order that compels an employee to work. Consequently, injunctions against unlawful strikes are granted against the organisers (typically the union), which will then withdraw the strike instruction. An employee who goes on strike when the instruction has been withdrawn may face dismissal but will not be breaching a court order or committing any crime.Christopher Jeans KC11 King's Bench Walk, Temple
Sir, Tony Lodge (Thunderer, Jul 28; letters, Jul 30) rightly concludes that ministers should prioritise growth in our railways to provide a better and more sustainable network. However, he could have been more optimistic. Passenger revenues are increasing and have returned strongly since the pandemic, with the Office of Rail and Road recently reporting growth of 8 per cent year on year. Passenger numbers have returned robustly, with Department for Transport data indicating they grew to a daily average of 104 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in May 2025. Research commissioned by the Railway Industry Association shows that passenger demand will increase by 37 per cent to 97 per cent in the next 25 years, depending on government rail policy. Freight growth is also strong with a 5.1 per cent rise in volumes from April 2024 to March 2025, according to Network Rail.
Lodge is right to recognise the need to leverage existing assets such as the railway estate, including stations, but there is also a need to expand rail to accommodate existing customer growth, especially as commuting continues to increase steadily as more workers return to the office.Darren CaplanCEO, Railway Industry Association
Sir, The argument over the private (debenture) seat holders and their automatic right to have access to tickets overlooks the effect of the £40 million-plus allocated some 20 years ago by the National Lottery ('Trial will settle the score on gig tickets', Jul 30). This enabled the Albert Hall to increase the seating in the circle and to modify the arena to allow an extra row of seats in the stalls.
However, of much more significance was the greatly improved backstage access provided by way of a subway entrance. This has allowed much quicker turnarounds and a greatly increased number of annual performances. Both these improvements have given the seat holders an increased income from their 'investments'. The quid pro quo, had the National Lottery been on the ball, would have been to loosen the stranglehold exercised by the seat holders whose income from reselling seats, as a result of the lottery funding, has greatly increased.Raymond GubbayLondon SW1
Sir, Further to your report 'Online child safety law 'threatens free speech' ' (Jul 29) and leading article ('Balancing Harms', Jul 30), more than 300 million children have been affected by online child sexual exploitation and abuse in the past 12 months. As survivors of child sex abuse, we know that the damage done to children goes far beyond the screen. It destroys lives. We also know that an unregulated internet leaves children dangerously exposed to predators.
All countries need to bring in protection for our children. The UK has led the way with its Online Safety Act. To scrap these safeguards in one of the few countries where they presently exist would be precisely the wrong thing to do.Dr Daniela LigieroFounder, the Brave Movement
Sir, Further to James Marriott's article 'Tech bros threaten to make serfs of us all' (Jul 29), there is no need to wait for the tech bros as off-shore financial bodies have already made us serfs by swallowing up small businesses and forcing us to shop online (as there is little alternative), with the result that high streets are hollowed out, commercial and retail premises boarded up, dental and veterinary practices either non-existent or where available able to charge exorbitant fees. Within a generation corporate greed has replaced a once great nation of shopkeepers.Prebendary Nigel Jackson-StevensBarnstaple, Devon
Sir, There has indeed been a decline in many aspects of National Health Service working conditions (letters, Jul 28-30). As a pre-registration house surgeon in Nottingham in 1973 I was routinely brought an early morning cup of tea in bed by the residency staff. If one asked nicely, two cups were brought on Sundays.Nick MurrayLittle Gaddesden, Herts
Sir, Martin Jeeves (letter, Jul 29) is correct in recognising the importance of the Power Press Regulations 1965 in protecting factory workers. Sadly, factory workers were able to over-ride the cage protection system. Workers on 'piece rates' disabled the system to achieve their targets, allowing them more 'down time'. Horrendous injuries continued after 1965.Tim ReardonLondon E1
Sir, Antonia Hoyle calls her clothes 'ancient' if they are as little as ten years old ('This old thing! I only buy cheap clothes — and I'm proof they last', Times2, Jul 30). My oldest garment is a faux fur coat bought in 1956 for £26. The maker was Motoluxe, which was renowned at the turn of the century for making warm motoring coats, mainly for men. My mother was disappointed that I bought the style I liked rather than choosing real fur. I made up for this by telling people my coat was made from the skins of genuine wild nylon.Madeline MacdonaldKnebworth, Herts
Write to [e-mail]