John Swinney says recognition of Palestine should not be 'conditional'
John Swinney has welcomed the announcement that the UK intends to recognise the State of Palestine, unless Israel takes certain actions.
The First Minister has responded to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's announcement that The UK will recognise the state of Palestine 'in September' unless Israel takes 'substantive steps' to end the 'appalling situation in Gaza', Sir Keir Starmer has said.
However, Swinney has said the recognition of Palestine should not be 'conditional' and should be 'irreversible'.
The Prime Minister recalled his senior team of ministers from their summer recess to discuss the situation in Gaza, where the population is facing a mounting famine, according to warnings from the United Nations.
A readout of the Cabinet meeting issued by Downing Street said Sir Keir told ministers 'now was the right time to move this position' on the two-state solution.
The readout continued: 'He said that because of the increasingly intolerable situation in Gaza and the diminishing prospect of a peace process towards a two-state solution, now was the right time to move this position forward.
'He said that the UK will recognise the state of Palestine in September, before UNGA (UN General Assembly), unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a two-state solution.'
Welcoming Starmer's statement Swinney called on Israel to agree a ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to Gaza and address the starvation crisis.
The First Minister said: "Having called on the UK Government to recognise the State of Palestine, I welcome the intent behind this announcement. However, recognition of a Palestinian state should be irreversible. Recognition must not be conditional and must be backed by sanctions against Israel if the violence continues.
"Israel must today agree to a ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to flow in much more volume to address the starvation being faced in Gaza.
'A two-state solution is the only way that the Palestinian and Israeli peoples can have a future, living side-by-side in peace and security. The Palestinian people deserve no less.
'This announcement comes on the day that the number of deaths reported passed 60,000, a truly horrific milestone that shames us all. The Israeli government must commit to end the killing and comply with its international obligations on the investigation of genocide and war crimes. We must see the unconditional release of all hostages.'
The Prime Minister had been under increasing pressure to recognise Palestine amid the warnings of starvation in Gaza.
Speaking from Downing Street's state dining room – sometimes used for press statements – the Prime Minister then told reporters that the Government will 'make an assessment in September on how far the parties have met these steps'.
No-one 'should have a veto over our decision', Sir Keir insisted.
Sir Keir said the British Government was focused on getting aid into Gaza and getting hostages released when asked why Palestinian recognition was conditional on Israel de-escalating the situation.
He added: 'This is intended to further that course, and it is done now because I am particularly concerned that the very idea of a two-state solution is reducing and feels further away today than it has for many, many years and, therefore, it should be seen in both of those contexts.'
While Sir Keir has suggested UK recognition of Palestine is conditional on the crisis not abating, No 10 is understood to believe that such a two-state solution would also proceed from negotiations towards a sustained peace.
The UK will keep working with its allies to 'end the suffering, get aid flooding into Gaza and deliver a more stable future for the Middle East', Sir Keir said, adding: 'Because I know that is what the British people desperately want to see.'
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In a hardening of his language about the crisis in Gaza, the Prime Minister has claimed the British public is 'revolted' by scenes of starvation in the territory.
The UK and its allies need to see 'at least 500 trucks entering Gaza every day' to deliver aid, the Prime Minister added, and are together 'mounting a major effort to get humanitarian supplies back in' by air and by land.
The Prime Minister discussed a UK-led international plan to alleviate the crisis in Gaza with Donald Trump on Monday, when the US president acknowledged there was 'real starvation' in the territory.
Sir Keir has likened the plan he is working on with France and Germany to the coalition of the willing, the international effort to support Ukraine towards a lasting peace.
Amid international alarm over starvation in Gaza, Israel announced at the weekend that it would suspend fighting in three areas for 10 hours a day and open secure routes for aid delivery.
The UK confirmed it was taking part in airdrops of aid into the territory.
Aid agencies have welcomed the new measures but said they were not enough to counter the rising hunger in the Palestinian territory.
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