UK Plans to Recognize Palestinian State in September Unless Israel Takes Action
Britain, if it acts, would become the second Western power on the UN Security Council to do so after France last week, reflecting Israel's deepening isolation over its conduct in its war against Hamas in Gaza, where a humanitarian disaster has set in and the Palestinian death toll has risen above 60,000.
Starmer said Britain would make the move unless Israel took substantive steps to allow more aid to enter Gaza, made clear there will be no annexation of the West Bank and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a "two-state solution" - a Palestinian state coexisting in peace alongside Israel.
"The Palestinian people have endured terrible suffering," Starmer told reporters. "Now, in Gaza, because of a catastrophic failure of aid, we see starving babies, children too weak to stand, images that will stay with us for a lifetime. The suffering must end."
Starmer said his government would make an assessment in September on "how far the parties have met these steps", but that no one would have a veto over the decision.
He took the decision after recalling his cabinet during the summer holidays on Tuesday to discuss a new proposed peace plan being worked on with other European leaders and how to deliver more humanitarian aid for Gaza's 2.2 million people.
Successive British governments have said they will formally recognize a Palestinian state when the time is right, without ever setting a timetable or specifying the necessary conditions.
With warnings from international aid agencies that people in Gaza are facing starvation, a growing number of lawmakers in Starmer's Labor Party have been asking him to recognize a Palestinian state to raise pressure on Israel.
The issue came to the fore after President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday France would recognize Palestine as a state in territories Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.
Israel and staunch supporter the United States blasted France's move, branding it a reward for Palestinian Hamas fighters who ran Gaza and whose attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 triggered the current war.
At the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, when Starmer was the opposition leader, he fully backed Israel's right to defend itself. But his stance has shifted over the years to a tougher approach to Israel, especially since his election as prime minister just over a year ago.
His government dropped the previous government's challenge over arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and has suspended some weapon sales to Israel.
Last month, Britain sanctioned two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
9 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
‘Hamas is starving Gaza, not Israel': Will Israel occupy Gaza?
For 22 months, Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas. As the war in Gaza nears the two-year mark, does victory now mean occupation? There are reports that Israel is poised to take full control of the Gaza Strip. What would that mean for the remaining hostages and the civilians caught in the crossfire? Gaza is all but flattened. The health ministry there says 61,000 people are dead. Israel is accused of genocide and causing mass starvation. And the Hamas leadership in Gaza has been killed. But Israel's Prime Minister says the war needs to continue. The world is starting to wonder if 'victory in Gaza' actually means occupation. Israeli media is quoting a senior official close to the PM as saying: "The die is cast — we're going for a full occupation of the Gaza Strip." The Israeli Defence Force is reportedly against the idea — as is the group representing the families of the hostages. But supporters of the plan argue it's the only way to ensure Israel is safe and Hamas is destroyed. On this episode of Counterpoints we'll debate: – Is Israel serious about occupying the Gaza Strip? – Will Arab League calls to Hamas to disarm have any impact? – And is starvation being used as a weapon of war? Guests: • Ahmed Eldin, host of Out Loud with Ahmed Eldin and journalist on Substack • Yaakov Amidror, former IDF Major General and Israeli National Security Adviser (2011–2013)
Arab News
11 hours ago
- Arab News
Daily life in the West Bank is unraveling amid settler attacks, military raids and threatened annexation
There is a palpable stillness in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Streets that until recently were thronged with tourists and pilgrims are now largely empty, their cobbled alleyways deserted. But this eerie silence reflects more than just the absence of tourism. Palestinian residents are staying indoors for fear of being shot or arrested. Meanwhile, armed Jewish settlers roam the hills surrounding the cities, asserting their presence with growing confidence. As tension rises on the ground, political developments are adding fuel to the fire. On July 23, lawmakers in Israel's Knesset passed a symbolic measure to 'apply Israeli sovereignty' to the occupied West Bank. Supporters said the move 'will strengthen the state of Israel, its security, and prevent any questioning of the fundamental right of the Jewish people to peace and security in their homeland.' Two more votes are scheduled, but the effects are already being felt. For Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the implications are not only political and economic, but deeply personal. Bethlehem's economy, like that of Jerusalem, depends heavily on tourism. With that income gone and prices rising, families are feeling the strain — made worse by the emotional toll of watching loved ones suffer in Gaza. Many speak of a deep, gnawing guilt — being able to eat while friends and relatives in Gaza are starving. That suffering casts a long shadow. A growing sense of powerlessness has taken hold — not only to protect one's own family, but to help others. Prayers for a ceasefire are now laced with disbelief that the world has allowed the war to continue. Even diplomatic gestures, like recent recognition of a Palestinian state by France, the UK, and Canada, offer little solace. For many, it feels like too little, too late. Meanwhile, legal efforts have failed to stem the tide. On July 14, the International Court of Justice declared the Israeli occupation illegal. Days later, Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Israel Katz announced the construction of 22 new settlements. Some 500,000 Israelis already live in settlements across the West Bank — home to around 3 million Palestinians. Observers warn that this expansion signals more than just growth. It could block the last remaining path to a viable Palestinian state — a solution long considered the most realistic way to resolve the conflict. In Jerusalem, the physical changes are already visible. Old properties are being torn down to make way for new roads, tunnels, and high-rises. The entire city and its surroundings are becoming a sea of concrete. Outside the city, the pressure is even more personal. One Palestinian man, currently in Amman, told Arab News that settlers are surrounding his village on the outskirts of Bethlehem. 'They are circling and waiting to move in,' he said. Soldiers have erected gates around the village and now control who can enter or leave. His parents say soldiers visit daily, asking about his whereabouts. Two of his brothers and his 19-year-old nephew have already been arrested. The nephew remains in prison. Despite his family's pleas, he cannot stay in Amman indefinitely — his three-month residency is running out. His story is not unique. Around Bethlehem, 65 new gates have been installed, further restricting movement. Locals say the gates can be shut at a moment's notice, making it impossible to attend weddings, funerals, or graduation ceremonies in nearby cities like Nablus. Families divided between the northern and southern West Bank are increasingly cut off, as if the territory is being sliced like a cake, leaving only scattered crumbs for its original inhabitants. One of the most notorious checkpoints is the 'Container,' which sits astride the only road Palestinians are allowed to use to travel between north and south. It can close without warning, sometimes for something as mundane as a soldier's lunch break. A journey from Bethlehem to Ramallah, which should take under an hour, can stretch to nine. Many Palestinians in the West Bank speak of a deep, gnawing guilt — being able to eat while friends and relatives in Gaza are starving. Melissa Scott The disruption has hit trade hard. Truck drivers transporting goods often avoid checkpoints entirely, using rough backroads that become muddy deathtraps in winter. Delays aside, many travelers report being harassed or assaulted by soldiers. One female soldier stationed at the Container is described as particularly aggressive. 'She even hits men,' one resident told Arab News. Locals refer to her as 'Falasha' — a term once used for Ethiopian Jews, now widely viewed as pejorative. Checkpoint closures can leave entire villages sealed off for days. Residents say that 'all they can do is put their feet up, sometimes for days, and wait for the gates to reopen.' Access for emergency services is also restricted. On July 24, Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinian boys, aged 15 and 17, in a village near Bethlehem. The military said the teens were throwing Molotov cocktails. Medical sources said an ambulance was blocked from reaching the scene. Locals said the boys' bodies were taken away in military vehicles, leaving families in limbo. The Israeli army insists its operations in the West Bank are a response to the threat from Palestinian militants. Since Oct. 7, 2023, 12 Israeli soldiers have been killed in attacks in Israel and the West Bank — five of them during counterterrorism operations. At least 35 Israeli civilians, including settlers, have also been killed. However, the vast majority of West Bank casualties have been Palestinians. Meanwhile, rights groups report more than 18,500 arrests since October 2023 — including 570 women and 1,500 children. Israeli raids on refugee camps continue, often before dawn. Soldiers storm homes, break down doors, and detain suspects. Prisons are overcrowded. Former detainees often return emaciated, covered in scabies, and physically or mentally scarred. Meanwhile, Israel's use of drones has escalated sharply. Once used for observation, drones are now deployed for intimidation and targeted strikes — hovering over Jenin, Nablus, Tammun and beyond. One woman told Arab News the drones 'can listen and talk to you.' She described a drone reportedly descending near an elderly couple in Lebanon and saying: 'Is that Nescafe you're drinking?' Other accounts are more sinister. Some say drones in Gaza broadcast the sound of a crying baby — then fire at those who rush to help. In Bethlehem, the psychological strain is growing. One mother described how her daughters, hearing strange sounds, ask if they are air raid sirens from nearby settlements. But there are no bomb shelters for Palestinians in the West Bank — only for settlers. Mothers urge teenage sons not to leave home. Those who do are told to shave — in hopes of looking younger and avoiding detention. In one case, a student heading to university was ordered off a bus and told to change his green T-shirt, as the color is associated with Hamas. Access for aid workers is also being curtailed. In July, Israel denied a visa renewal to Jonathan Whittall, a senior official from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. From checkpoints and gates to drones in the sky, many Palestinians in the West Bank say they are living under constant surveillance, confinement, and uncertainty. They wait — for checkpoints to open, for word from prison, for violence to ease. But above all, they wait for a future that feels more distant with each passing day. (Special to Arab News) • Melissa Scott is the founder of the Bethlehem Cultural Festival @melissalawday
Leaders
12 hours ago
- Leaders
Italian Politician's Condemnation Goes Viral: ‘This is Hell on Earth'
Italian politician Alessandro Di Battista's blistering condemnation of Gaza's humanitarian crisis has gone viral, amplifying global outrage over Israel's blockade and its catastrophic impact on Palestinian children. The former Five Star Movement firebrand delivered the remarks during an appearance on Italian television, framing Gaza as a man-made 'hell' where starvation and drone strikes systematically target civilians. Di Battista's voice cracked with fury as he described Gaza: Di Battista's voice cracked with fury as he described Gaza: 'Today there is no war between armies. Here there is an enormous population that literally dies of hunger.' The Heart-Wrenching Truth The former Member of Parliament's speech struck a chord as he described the heartbreaking situation faced by children in conflict zones. 'Every day hungry children die,' he lamented, illustrating the dire circumstances that many families endure. He vividly depicted the scene: 'Bombs hit them, and drones follow the children in search of a little flour.' This imagery resonated deeply with viewers, prompting widespread discussion and outrage on social media platforms. The politician's words took a haunting turn as he contemplated the concept of hell. 'I don't know if hell exists, Floris,' he said, addressing the show's host. 'If I had to imagine hell, I would think of 2 million people who are dying of hunger and thirst.' His statement underscored the severity of the crisis, particularly for children. '1 million children, with bombs hitting them,' he continued, painting a vivid picture of despair. A Call to Action Di Battista's speech did not shy away from the uncomfortable truths surrounding the situation. He pointed out the stark contrast between abundance and deprivation: 'With trucks full of food, a few hundred meters from where hungry children die.' His frustration was palpable as he criticized the actions of those in power: 'Israeli soldiers don't let them in.' This poignant observation highlighted the barriers that prevent aid from reaching those in desperate need. In closing, Di Battista delivered a powerful statement that resonated with many viewers. ' This is reality. The rest is bullshit,' he declared, dismissing distractions and emphasizing the urgency of addressing the humanitarian crisis. His passionate plea for compassion and action sparked a wave of support and solidarity across social media, urging people to confront the harsh realities faced by millions. As the video continues to circulate, it serves as a reminder of the importance of empathy and the need for collective action in the face of suffering. Di Battista's fiery talk not only captured attention but also ignited a conversation about humanity's responsibility to those in need. Short link : Post Views: 7
