Starmer to set out plan to recognise Palestine
The Prime Minister will present the UK-led plan to allies including the US and Arab states over the coming days.
It will focus on the steps needed to 'turn a ceasefire into lasting peace', which are expected to include ultimately recognising Palestinian statehood.
Sir Keir is set to discuss the crisis in the Middle East with Donald Trump at the US president's Turnberry golf course on Monday.
Ahead of their meeting, Mr Trump said he did not mind Sir Keir taking a position on formally recognising Palestine, but he would not do so himself.
The Prime Minister has been coming under mounting pressure from his own party to follow in France's footsteps and formally recognise a Palestinian state.
On Friday, a third of Labour MPs signed a letter saying it was time for 'immediate recognition'. Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, is also pushing Sir Keir to take the step.
On Monday, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said he would be setting out a plan for 'lasting peace' in the region to allies including the US and Arab states 'over the coming days'.
Pressed on whether the plan would include recognising Palestine as a state, he said: 'It's a plan to deliver a pathway to peace and the steps needed to reach a sustainable peace in the Middle East.
'I'm not going to obviously get ahead of the plan, but as I said, we are clear that recognition of a Palestinian state must be one of the steps on a path to a two-state solution and as part of a wider plan that delivers lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis.'
The spokesman also confirmed that Sir Keir will convene his Cabinet this week to discuss the situation in Gaza, after which No 10 will confirm 'more on our actions and next steps'.
It comes after Sir Keir held a call with the leaders of France and Germany on Saturday in which they agreed to 'work closely together on a plan, building on their collaboration to date, which would pave the way to a long-term solution and security in the region'.
At the time, a No 10 spokesman said: 'They agreed that once this plan was worked up, they would seek to bring in other key partners, including in the region, to advance it.'
On Monday, Sir Keir's official spokesman told reporters: 'As the Prime Minist
er has made clear, including in his call with President Macron and Chancellor Merz, he's agreed to work with them, and indeed with other international allies, on the UK plan to turn a ceasefire into lasting peace.
'And the Prime Minister will be presenting this plan to allies over the coming days, including the US and Arab states.
'We'll obviously set out details of that unusual way, and he'll be discussing that plan in Cabinet, out of which you can expect more on our actions and next steps.'
Labour committed to recognising Palestine as a state in its manifesto but has argued for months that this should be done at the right moment to promote peace in the region.
However, there is growing pressure in the party for a change to be made sooner, which is likely to rise after Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana launched their new hard-Left party.
On Monday, Sir Keir's spokesman said Palestinians have an 'inalienable right to statehood', and it is a 'question of when, not if' the UK will agree to recognition.
The Prime Minister is also mindful of the 'wider context of the human suffering in Gaza and the release of the remaining hostages, which must also be prioritised if we want to see a sustainable and lasting peace in the region', he said.
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