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Starmer announces Britain’s recognition of Palestine

2 August 202513 views0

British Prime Minister Kier Starmer has announced the UK is prepared to recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel meets certain conditions.

Starmer said the UK would make the move at the UN General Assembly if Israel failed to allow more aid into Gaza, provided clear assurance there would be no annexation of the West Bank and committed to a long-term “two-state solution” for peaceful co-existence.

If Britain acts, it would be the second Western country to formally recognise a Palestinian state after France.

Israel’s foreign ministry posted on X that the decision rewarded “Hamas’s monstrous terrorism”.

Starmer said, “The Palestinian people have endured terrible suffering … 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.”

Following the announcement, a group of senior lawyers raised concerns that such a move could risk violating international law. Referring to the Montevideo Convention, they questioned whether Palestine meets the established criteria for statehood, citing issues such as undefined borders, divided political control between Hamas and Fatah, and uncertainty over diplomatic capacity.

The Convention, signed in 1933, sets out four widely accepted criteria for statehood: a defined territory, a permanent population, a functioning government, and the ability to conduct international relations. Although the

UK is not a signatory, the convention’s principles are broadly recognised as part of customary international law.

The letter itself received around 40 signatories, including Lord Pannick KC and Lady Deech – patrons of UIK Lawyers for Israel.

Ministers were divided in their response, with Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds saying the warnings are “missing the point”, while the media was equally divided. Right-leaning publications were heavy handed in their criticism of Starmer, while left-leaning outlets praised the announcement.