Prime Minister makes statement on recognising Palestine

Last night, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the UK would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire.

In a statement, he said: “So today, as part of this process towards peace, I can confirm the UK will recognise the state of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two state solution.”

He did not appear to impose any conditions at all on Hamas.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Our Prime Minister’s declaration is morally indefensible. There are still hostages held in torturous conditions in Hamas dungeons in Gaza. Were they released, there would be a ceasefire immediately, as Israel and the United States have repeatedly said.

“Sir Keir Starmer should be saying that he will take the issue of Palestinian statehood off the table if the hostages are not returned by September or sooner. Instead, he has decided to brandish recognition of a Palestinian state as a threat against the world’s only Jewish state as it seeks to retrieve the hostages still held nearly two years after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

“This announcement sends the worst possible message: that mass murder, rape, and hostage-taking are legitimate paths to diplomatic gain. This is not a step toward peace; it is a dangerous precedent. This is not about justice, peace, or a negotiated two-state solution. This is about appeasement, and it will only embolden extremists, including Hamas, who now know that they need only hang on until September — holding the hostages and looting aid — to receive their reward.

“Recognition of a Palestinian state should never be wielded as a political weapon. Doing so in the aftermath of an antisemitic pogrom is not only reckless, it is shameful.”