The United Kingdom is preparing to formally recognise a Palestinian state on Sunday after Prime Minister Keir Starmer concluded that Israel had failed to meet the conditions he set in July, The Guardian reported on Saturday night.
Starmer had previously indicated that recognition would come ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York if there was no improvement in the humanitarian situation. With Israel’s military offensive in Gaza intensifying and settlement expansion in the West Bank accelerating, the UK government now believes the prospects of a two-state solution are rapidly diminishing.
“This recognition is a consequence of the serious expansion we’re seeing in the West Bank, the settler violence and the intention to build developments that would destroy the two-state option,” Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said, confirming he will represent the UK at the UN summit.
Downing Street has emphasised that recognition of Palestine is not a concession to Hamas, stressing that the militant group will have no role in Gaza’s future governance. The government is also expected to increase sanctions on Hamas while continuing to press for the release of hostages.
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The decision comes despite strong opposition from Washington and criticism from the families of some of the 48 hostages still held by Hamas, who argued in an open letter that the UK’s move has “dramatically complicated efforts” to secure their loved ones’ release.
Israel’s military campaign has escalated in recent days, with health officials in Gaza reporting at least 14 deaths from overnight strikes on Saturday. Meanwhile, protests in Israel have intensified, with thousands demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu negotiate an end to the war.
Currently, 147 of the UN’s 193 member states recognise the State of Palestine. The UK’s decision, if confirmed, would represent a major diplomatic shift ahead of high-level UN meetings beginning on 23 September.