UK's delicate shift towards recognising Palestinian state sparks debate

Sir Keir Starmer has faced criticism from hostage survivor Emily Damari after he announced the UK would consider recognising a Palestinian state in September.

During the 15 months Emily was held in Gaza, the prime minister publicly discussed her situation and spoke with her family, making her recent condemnation of his policy a pointed rebuke.

Damari accused Starmer of a "moral failure", warning that recognition could "reward terror" and "prolong the conflict" by reducing incentives for Hamas to release the remaining hostages.

This echoed a joint statement from ten current or former British hostages and their families, who said the UK’s new stance might undermine efforts to secure a ceasefire and hostage releases.

Critics interpret the prime minister’s Downing Street announcement as conditional: the UK will assess in September whether Israel has agreed a ceasefire, halted annexation of the West Bank, eased Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, and committed to lasting peace.

However, government sources note Starmer also said: "Our message to the terrorists of Hamas is unchanged and unequivocal: they must immediately release all the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza." This suggests recognition hinges on both Israel’s and Hamas’s actions.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told ZAMONA, however, that "the ball is in the Israeli government's court", focusing solely on Israel meeting the conditions and raising doubts over Hamas’s role.

Despite the ambiguity, most observers expect the government to proceed with recognition in September, marking a significant reversal from its position just days earlier.

Starmer has long supported Palestinian statehood when it would best advance a two-state solution, previously assumed to follow the end of the war; the sudden shift reflects intense parliamentary pressure.

Political gravity

More than half of Labour backbenchers had signed a letter calling for recognition, and some cabinet ministers privately signalled their support, fearing a defeat on the issue after the summer recess.

Within Labour, debate persists between those who see conditional recognition as necessary leverage and others who argue it is a fundamental right not to be held hostage by political conditions.

The Conservatives and Reform UK oppose recognition while Hamas controls Gaza, while the Liberal Democrats, Greens and independents advocate for immediate, unconditional statehood.

Ultimately, the push from Labour’s centre – which has broadly backed Starmer’s judgment – made change inevitable, leaving the government to balance moral imperatives, diplomatic strategy and political demands.

The UK’s decision to recognise Palestine underscores a major shift in foreign policy, balancing moral concerns over hostages with the goal of reviving a two-state solution.

This topic was reported by BBC.

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