Starmer says UK will recognize Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to Gaza ceasefire, commits to peace process

Britain will recognize a Palestinian state in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the “appalling situation” in Gaza and meets other conditions, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer tells his cabinet, according to a government statement.

The move marks a major diplomatic predicament for Israel, coming days after France announced it would recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.

Starmer says Israel can forestall the measure by reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, making clear that it will not annex the West Bank, and commit to a peace process that results in a two-state solution.

France’s Emmanuel Macron, who did not offer Israel a way to avoid the statehood move, has been pushing Starmer to follow his lead, as have a growing number of lawmakers in Starmer’s Labour Party, seeing it as a way to pressure Israel amid growing concern of starvation in Gaza.

The UK would be Israel’s closest ally to recognize a Palestinian state, and this may indicate that more Western countries will make the move as well.

Starmer “reiterated that there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas and that our 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,” according to the government statement.

Starmer earlier recalled his cabinet from their summer vacations to discuss a new proposed peace plan being worked on with other European leaders and how to deliver more humanitarian aid to Gaza.