UK’s Labour pledges to recognize Palestinian state as part of future peace process
The party, far ahead in polls ahead of July 4 elections, says recognition of a Palestinian state is ‘essential’ for Israel’s security
Britain’s opposition Labour Party, which is far ahead in polls before a July 4 election, pledged on Thursday to recognize a Palestinian state as part of a peace process.
“Palestinian statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people,” says Labour’s election manifesto – the collection of policies it would enact if it forms the next government.
“We are committed to recognizing a Palestinian state as a contribution to a renewed peace process which results in a two-state solution with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state,” the manifesto continues, calling Palestinian statehood “essential” for Israel’s long-term security.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said last month that he wanted to recognize a Palestinian state if he won power, but that such a move would need to come at the right time in a peace process, indicating that, unlike some European countries’ recent actions, the recognition will not be unilateral.
United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Cameron, a Conservative, said in January that Britain could formally recognize a Palestinian state if Palestinians would show “irreversible progress” towards a two-state solution, according to reports at the time.
Regarding the current war between Israel and Hamas, the manifesto says that Labour will push for an immediate ceasefire and for the release of all hostages, which may help appease some voters who have been critical of the party’s stance on the war in Gaza.
The current Conservative-led government has previously said Britain could formally recognize a Palestinian state before the end of a peace process, and that Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip must be given “the political perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future.”
Last week, Slovenia recognized a Palestinian state. In May, Spain, Ireland and Norway did the same, prompting an angry reaction from Israel. These countries’ ambassadors in Israel were dressed down and shown footage of female Israeli soldiers being kidnapped during Hamas’s October 7 massacre, which saw terrorists kill some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnap 251.
Israel has argued that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state now will be viewed as a reward for Hamas’s October 7 onslaught. Israel’s military campaign to rid the Gaza Strip of the Hamas terror group has sparked worldwide sympathy for Palestinians and galvanized support for recognizing statehood in some capitals.
Around 144 out of 193 member-states of the United Nations already recognize a Palestinian state, including most of the global south, Russia, China and India.
Eleven European Union countries now recognize a Palestinian state — Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Slovenia, Ireland, and Spain. Malta recognizes the concept of one and has indicated it may soon recognize a state.
The UK left the EU in 2020. Norway is not a member of the European Union, but is closely aligned, and is a member of the European Economic Area.
