UK Plans Formal Recognition of Palestine at United Nations
The United Kingdom will formally recognize the State of Palestine during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York this September, according to statements made by the British Foreign Secretary, as reported by Cairo News Channel.
In a decisive and long-anticipated policy shift, the UK's top diplomat confirmed that Britain is preparing to recognize Palestinian statehood as part of its renewed commitment to a two-state solution. The Foreign Secretary described the Israeli government's rejection of that solution, particularly under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as both a moral and strategic mistake that ultimately undermines Israeli and regional interests.
He also referenced the Balfour Declaration, a foundational document in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, noting that it was a 'promise' but one that never intended to negate the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
In parallel, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain has already begun airdropping humanitarian aid over the Gaza Strip, in response to the dire humanitarian conditions unfolding on the ground. He stressed that an immediate ceasefire is urgently needed, and that Israel must not proceed with the annexation of any land in the West Bank.
At the same time, Starmer reaffirmed that Britain's support for Israel's security remains unchanged, signaling a nuanced approach that calls for accountability and restraint while maintaining long-standing strategic alliances.
Speaking on the humanitarian crisis, Starmer said the situation in Gaza is catastrophic and reiterated the need to allow unhindered entry of aid to the population. The comments from both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary reflect an evolving UK foreign policy stance that seeks to balance security concerns with international law and human rights obligations.
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Al-Ahram Weekly
25 minutes ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt Foreign Ministry debunks 10 false claims on Rafah crossing, aid delivery into Gaza - Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has debunked 10 circulated allegations targeting Egypt regarding the Rafah crossing and the access of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. An infographic posted by the foreign ministry on its Facebook page on Thursday listed 10 false and true statements. Claim 1: Egypt has failed to provide aid to the Gaza Strip. Fact: This is a deliberate misrepresentation. Egypt has provided 70 percent of the total humanitarian aid that has entered Gaza since the beginning of the war. Egypt organized an international ministerial conference on the humanitarian response in Gaza in December 2024, with the participation of more than 100 delegations, to support the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people. Egypt received hundreds of injured and sick Palestinians in Egyptian hospitals. Egypt prepared a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of Gaza. It has successfully mobilized support from the vast majority of countries and intends to organize an international conference to mobilize the necessary funding for its implementation. The complete Israeli blockade on Gaza has prevented aid from reaching the strip at a level commensurate with the scale of the humanitarian disaster. Claim 2: Rafah Crossing is a one-sided crossing controlled by Egypt. Fact: It is a false claim. The crossing consists of a gate on the Egyptian side and another gate on the Palestinian side, separated by a road. Crossing the gate on the Egyptian side does not constitute crossing the border between the two sides and does not provide access to the Gaza Strip. Access to the strip requires crossing the distance between the two gates and entering through the Palestinian gate for trucks and individuals. This has been impossible since the Israeli army occupied the Palestinian side of the crossing and completely prevented the passage of individuals and trucks, in addition to targeting the Palestinian side of the crossing militarily more than once. Claim 3: Egypt has closed the Rafah Crossing. Fact: This is a false claim. The crossing has not been closed on the Egyptian side since the beginning of the brutal war in Gaza. The Rafah Crossing gate on the Egyptian side is open, but the closure of the Palestinian gate prevents the entry of aid (there is no possibility of entering Gaza except through the Palestinian gate). Although the Rafah crossing is designated for the passage of individuals only, not trucks, Egypt has been able to allow thousands of trucks through it since the start of the war to expedite the delivery of aid. Claim 4: Egypt is participating in the blockade of Gaza. Fact: This is a deliberate lie. The Israeli occupation army completely besieges the Gaza Strip by land, sea, and air and controls all entry points into the Strip. Claim 5: The Rafah crossing is the only exit point for the Gaza Strip. Fact: This is incorrect. There are several other crossings in Gaza, such as the Karm Abu Salem crossing, the Erez crossing, the Sufa crossing, the Nahal Oz crossing, the Karni crossing, and the Kissufim crossing, all of which are fully controlled by Israel. Israel, the occupying power, obstructs the entry of any humanitarian aid through all the crossings it controls, including the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing. Those who claim that Egypt is responsible for what is happening in the Gaza Strip should demand pressure on Israel to open all the crossings it controls. Claim 6: Egypt prevents public solidarity with Gaza. Fact: This is a false claim. Egypt has organized and facilitated visits to the Rafah and Arish crossings for numerous citizens and officials from humanitarian organizations, as well as for senior international officials. This included the UN Secretary-General and French President Macron, whose visit contributed to France's decision to recognize the Palestinian state. Egypt has also organized visits for foreign ministers, senior officials, and civil society representatives. Additionally, there are rules and regulations for conducting solidarity visits to these border areas based on the facts on the ground, given their proximity to a war zone and the need to take special measures to secure and protect participants in any marches or visits there. Claim 7: Egypt failed to support the Palestinian cause. Fact: This is a deliberate slander and lie. No country in the world has made as much effort or sacrifice for the Palestinian cause as Egypt. Egypt has played a key role as a mediator in the difficult and complex ceasefire negotiations, and its efforts succeeded in achieving this on 19 January 2025. However, Israel failed to fulfill its commitments. Egypt hosted the Cairo Peace Summit in October 2023 and the emergency Arab Summit in March 2025. It prepared a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, which contributed to halting displacement plans. It also played a leading role in coordinating Arab, Islamic, and international action on the Palestinian issue. Claim 8: Demonstrations in front of Egyptian embassies support the Palestinian cause. Fact: On the contrary, demonstrations in front of Egyptian embassies undermine Egypt's historical role in supporting the Palestinian cause and the sacrifices Egypt has made since the Nakba. They serve the Israeli occupation entirely, offering it a free gift. This contributes to distracting international and Arab public opinion from the real culprit behind the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip and easing the recent mounting international pressure to halt the blatant Israeli violations committed against the Palestinian people. It also diverts attention from the crimes the Palestinian people are suffering and targets Egypt, as the steadfast, fundamental pillar defending the rights of the Palestinian people. This severely harms the Palestinian struggle for independence and creates division among the Arab peoples, to the benefit of Israel. Claim 9: Egypt is not keen on stopping the famine in Gaza. Fact: This is an illogical claim. The entry of humanitarian aid is not only a moral, humanitarian, and legal duty but also serves the national interest by strengthening the Palestinian people, ensuring their steadfastness on their land, preventing their displacement, and preventing the implementation of 'alternative homeland' scenarios by starving the population to empty the land. Bringing in the largest possible amount of aid is a top priority for Egypt, primarily for moral and humanitarian reasons, and also to ensure an end to Israeli displacement plans and attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause by forcing the Palestinian people to leave their land. Claim 10: Criticizing the Egyptian role aims to alleviate the suffering in Gaza. Fact: There are deliberate attempts to systematically distort and cast doubt on the Egyptian role, and to deliberately falsify facts with the aim of undermining Egypt's role, frustrating the Arab peoples, creating divisions among them, and weakening Palestinian resilience. 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Al-Ahram Weekly
2 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
El-Sisi commends UK stance on Palestinian statehood in phone call with Starmer - Foreign Affairs
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi commended PM Keir Starmer for his recent announcements that the UK would recognize the State of Palestine in September if Israel does not immediately agree to ending the war and blockade in Gaza. During a phone call on Thursday with the UK PM, the Egyptian president described the recent UK step as a "positive impetus" toward securing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. This includes their right to an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 1967 borders, El-Sisi added, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian presidency. Furthermore, the Egyptian president reiterated that a just and comprehensive two-state solution is the only path to achieving lasting peace and stability in the region. President El-Sisi also shared with PM Starmer Egypt's vision for de-escalating the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the statement noted. Additionally, he highlighted Egypt's continuous efforts to secure a ceasefire, expedite the delivery of humanitarian aid, and facilitate the release of captives and detainees. President El-Sisi also urged that the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip begin as soon as possible and reaffirmed Egypt's firm rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians from their lands. On Monday, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty announced that Egypt is committed to organizing an international conference for the reconstruction of Gaza once the Israeli war on the Palestinian Strip ends. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Starmer announced the UK will formally recognize the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes various "substantive steps" in Gaza, including agreeing to a ceasefire. Starmer told his ministers that London will formally recognize a Palestinian state in September if the Israeli government has not taken the steps demanded, his office said. They include ending "the appalling situation in Gaza", reaching a ceasefire, making "clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank", and committing "to a long-term peace process that delivers a two-state solution," it added. "I have always said that we will recognize a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution," Starmer later said in a Downing Street address. "With that solution now under threat, this is the moment to act." The UK is one of several Western countries that have recently indicated their intent to recognize Palestinian statehood. Last week, France announced its intent to recognize Palestinian statehood at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September. Canada and Malta made a similar announcement on Thursday. This shift comes amid growing global outrage over the images of Palestinians dying of hunger from starvation due to a five-month-long Israeli blockade on all food, water, and medicine to the strip. It also comes amid increasing international pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza and cease its settlement expansion in the West Bank. To date, 147 of the 193 UN member states—roughly three-quarters—have recognised the Palestinian state. Since the outbreak of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, several countries such as Norway, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia. Since 2012, Palestine has been granted non-member observer status at the UN There have even been calls for Palestine to be granted full membership to the UN, a move that would grant it the right to vote and fully participate. In its genocidal war in Gaza since October 2023, Israel has killed 60,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 150,000, mostly women and children. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
US to refuse visas to Palestinian Authority officials - Region
Washington said Thursday it would deny visas to Palestinian Authority officials and sharply criticised the body which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, just as multiple US allies move to recognise Palestinian statehood. The State Department did not specify who was being targeted, only saying it would deny visas to "members" of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and "officials" from the Palestinian Authority (PA). The organisations are "taking actions to internationalise its conflict with Israel such as through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ)," the State Department said in a statement. It also accused the groups of "continuing to support terrorism, including incitement and glorification of violence," and of "providing payments and benefits in support of terrorism to Palestinian terrorists and their families." Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar welcomed the US sanctions, saying the gesture displayed "moral clarity." The measures against the PA, whose leader, Mahmud Abbas, has been widely recognised for years as a key partner in efforts to resolve the conflict, come as growing numbers of countries consider recognising a Palestinian state. Canada and France are among the latest nations to announce they will grant recognition during the UN General Assembly meeting, which takes place in September in New York. The US visa denials could possibly complicate attendance to the meeting by Palestinian leaders. The PA is a civilian ruling authority in areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where about three million Palestinians live -- as well as around half a million Israelis occupying settlements considered illegal under international law. The United States is also ratcheting up pressure on the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Saar accused the Palestinian Authority of paying "terrorists" and their families for attacks against Israeli targets and of inciting people against Israel in schools, textbooks, mosques, and Palestinian media. "This important action by President Trump and his administration also exposes the moral distortion of certain countries that rushed to recognize a virtual Palestinian state while turning a blind eye to the PA's support for terrorism and incitement," Saar wrote on X. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
