Recognise Palestinian

UK proposes to recognise Palestinian statehood - five key things Starmer said

 From BBC

The UK will recognise Palestinian statehood in September ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Keir Starmer now says - before listing some conditions for this to happen.

According to a written handout of the cabinet meeting he held earlier, Starmer said this would happen "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".

He also reiterated that there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas and that the UK's demands on Hamas remain - that they must release all the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, accept that they will play no role in the government of Gaza, and disarm.

Starmer committed to make an assessment ahead of UNGA on how far the parties have met these steps before making a final decision, ensuring that no one side will have a veto, the statement says.

• The UK will recognise Palestinian statehood in September, the government has said, unless "substantive" steps are taken by Israel to end the "appalling" situation in Gaza - among other conditions
• At a news conference, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the goal remains a "safe and secure" Israel alongside a "viable and sovereign" Palestinian state
• Asked about the timing, Starmer said today's announcement was driven both by the "intolerable" situation in Gaza and a concern that the possibility of a two-state solution is "reducing"
• He said this had been a "long-standing" Labour policy and formed part of a peace plan that the government has been working on for some time
• Asked why there are conditions attached to the move, Starmer said the UK's primary aim is to change the current situation on the ground both through the release of hostages and the delivery of aid. "This is intended to further that cause," he explained