Why is Britain recognizing a Palestinian state
What did Starmer say?
He said Britain would make the move at the United Nations General Assembly unless Zionist entity agreed to certain conditions.
Those were:
•a ceasefire between Zionist entity and Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza
•substantive steps to allow more aid to enter the Gaza Strip
•a clear declaration there will be no annexation of the Zionist-occupied West Bank
•a commitment to a long-term peace process that delivers a 'two-state solution' - a Palestinian state co-existing in peace alongside Zionist entity
Starmer said there was 'no equivalence between Zionist entity 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'.
Why did Starmer do this?
Successive British governments have said they will formally recognize a Palestinian state when the time is right and when it will be most effective to support a two-state solution. Until Tuesday, the government had said it was more focused on improving the situation on the ground for civilians stricken by the conflict than recognition.
But Starmer has become increasingly vocal over the starvation and devastation in Gaza, and has been under pressure to act from lawmakers in his Labour Party. Britain hopes its move will have a practical impact on Zionist entity's behavior, initially by increasing the flow of aid, but also by reviving the diplomatic push for a two-state solution.
What will this mean in practice?
The move carries great diplomatic and moral weight, even if it is mostly symbolic, according to Julie Norman, an associate professor at University College London specializing in Middle Eastern politics. The most immediate impact may be an upgrading of diplomatic relations with the Palestinians, according to one British government official.
Britain currently hosts a 'Palestinian mission' of officials in London, but the recognition of a Palestinian state means it may be allowed open a fully fledged embassy.
The official said Britain could eventually open an embassy in the West Bank, where the Western-backed Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-government under Zionist military occupation. The PA seeks the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem for a future state. Hamas has refused to recognize Zionist entity and the group's 1988 founding charter calls for its destruction. Vincent Fean, a former British consul general to Jerusalem, said recognition of Palestine as a state would result in the government having to review its relations with Zionist entity. This, he said, could result in Britain banning products from Zionist settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.
'That would only be symbolic in that sense that those goods are a pinprick in the overall size of the Zionist economy,' he said. What is currently unclear is the impact recognition would have on the close intelligence and security ties between Britain and Zionist entity, including defense-related supply chains. — Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
8 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
UK-France deal on migrants takes effect
LONDON, UK: A 'one-in, one-out' deal in which Britain can return some migrants who cross the Channel in small boats back to France came into force on Tuesday, the UK government announced. The interior ministry said that British authorities were 'operationally ready' and that migrant detentions were expected to begin 'within days' following ratification of the agreement. 'Today we send a clear message—if you come here illegally on a small boat you will face being sent back to France,' Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement after striking the deal with French President Emmanuel Macron last month. The agreement seeks to curb record levels of irregular Channel crossings that are causing discontent in Britain and helping fuel the rise of the hard-right Reform UK party. Under the arrangement—for now a pilot scheme set to run until June 2026 -- irregular migrants arriving on UK shores could be detained and returned to France if they are deemed ineligible for asylum. In exchange, the UK will accept an equal number of migrants from France who can apply for asylum via an online platform, giving priority to nationalities most vulnerable to smugglers and to people with ties in Britain. The two governments signed the final text last week, with the EU Commission giving its 'green light on this innovative approach', Britain's Home Office said in a statement late Monday. 'The unscrupulous business model of smugglers must be broken,' the European Union's migration commissioner Magnus Brunner wrote on X Tuesday. But refugee charities have criticized the deal, urging the British government to provide more safe and legal routes for asylum seekers instead. The number of migrants making the dangerous journey in flimsy dinghies this year crossed 25,000 at the end of July, the highest tally ever at this point in the year. The rise, which the government has partly attributed to extended periods of good weather, means Labour leader Starmer is struggling to fulfil one of his main pledge's before winning last year's general election. Social media ads In recent weeks, anti-immigration protesters and counter-protesters have clashed outside hotels housing asylum seekers in Britain, with some demonstrations turning violent. Starmer has tried to portray the deal as a diplomatic victory after years of faltering cooperation between France and the UK on the politically sensitive issue. 'This is the product of months of grown-up diplomacy delivering real results for British people as we broker deals no government has been able to achieve,' he said. While the agreement has also met with criticism in northern France, where some officials say the scheme is too favorable to the UK, Nigel Farage's anti-immigrant Reform UK party says it does not go far enough to secure Britain's borders. Interior minister Yvette Cooper said Tuesday that she would not put a number on how many migrants would be deported under the deal. 'Of course, it will start with lower numbers and then build, but we want to be able to expand it,' she told BBC radio. The Home Office this week pledged £100 million ($132 million) for law enforcement, including additional staff and technology, to 'tackle' gangs who organize the crossings. Starmer's government also said it would make it an offence to promote on social media dangerous immigration routes into the UK, including via the Channel. Under the new provision, which will be part of a border security bill making its way through parliament, those found advertising such crossings could be fined and face up to five years in prison. According to a Home Office analysis, 80 percent of migrants arriving via small boats told officials they used social media during the process. – AFP
Arab Times
9 hours ago
- Arab Times
The compassionate captain of Kuwait Airways
I did not expect to return to writing about Kuwait Airways so soon, but a message from a reader of my recent article in the Arab Times, along with an interview I came across with a former Kuwait Airways captain, compelled me to revisit the topic. The reader, a European, wrote, 'I read your article about Kuwait Airways in The Arab Times and appreciated its insight. I especially enjoyed the story about the dead horse. Your words resonated with me as both a regular flyer and someone working in aviation. 'I wanted to share this thought - We must learn from the experiences of other Gulf Cooperation Council countries. 'Their companies generate high profits and operate with clear efficiency. I work closely with them, and all have professional CEOs and management teams with extensive airline industry experience, drawn from a range of international backgrounds. 'The truth is that few industries are as global and professionally demanding as aviation, so airline management must be global in both mindset and expertise. 'I understand this may conflict with the goals of 'Kuwaitization,' but if the government wants to stop subsidizing a loss-making national carrier, while other Gulf airlines thrive, earn billions in profits, build strong reputations, and operate from world-class airports, then the only viable solution is to place the airline in the hands of professionals who adhere strictly to sound business rules.' I replied by saying I understood his perspective, and that I had previously advised more than one Kuwait Airways CEO to seek government approval to amend the regulations that prohibit hiring highly qualified foreign experts, even temporarily, until a capable Kuwaiti CEO can be trained to take over and manage the company efficiently before the foreign expert's contract ends. This is exactly what Kuwaiti banks did, and I personally witnessed both the foreign expertise phase and the rise of national talent. In the early days, most bank leadership teams were American, British, or French. But over time, and through proper training, dozens of outstanding Kuwaiti professionals emerged, including figures like Yousef Al-Awadhi, Yousef Al-Hussaini, Abdullah Al-Sumait, Adel Al-Majed, Imad Al-Saqr, Walid Mandani, and others. I apologize to those I may have unintentionally omitted. --- On another note, I recently listened to a podcast interview with a former Kuwait Airways captain. When asked by the host about the reasons behind the national carrier's decline in performance compared to other Gulf airlines, he responded without hesitation by explaining that he had served as a pilot at Kuwait Airways for 42 years, and described the company as one filled with compassion, warmth, and generosity. He emphasized that Kuwait Airways is not a profit-driven entity, but rather a service-oriented one. As an example, he pointed to the airline's humanitarian role during emergencies and natural disasters in various countries, where Kuwaiti citizens were stranded. In such cases, Kuwait Airways stepped in to rescue and return them home free of charge. He concluded by saying that Kuwait Airways is the best airline in the Gulf and proudly noted that it maintains a spotless safety record, unlike some of its regional counterparts. The captain either forgot or chose to overlook that his remarks amounted to an implicit criticism of the reputation and safety records of other Gulf airlines. By doing so, he suggested they lacked the 'love, compassion, and generosity' that Kuwait Airways reportedly shows, including failing to rescue their stranded citizens abroad. Moreover, his comparison of Kuwait Airways' safety record with those of other Gulf carriers was flawed, as if implying negligence on their part. This comparison is unfair and unrealistic. Naturally, there will be differences in performance and safety between an airline operating 20 or 30 aircraft and those managing fleets of hundreds. Kuwait Airways is our national carrier, and we all hope it achieves the highest standards. To do so, it needs to be privatized or at least granted its board of directors greater autonomy to hire international experts to manage the airline, without unnecessary interference by the relevant minister.
Kuwait Times
10 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
5 years after Beirut port blast, Aoun promises justice
BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday vowed justice and accountability five years after a catastrophic explosion at Beirut's port, as the investigating judge finished questioning defendants, a judicial official said. Nobody has been held accountable for the August 4, 2020 blast—one of the world's largest non-nuclear explosions, which devastated swathes of the Lebanese capital, killing more than 220 people and injuring over 6,500. Authorities have said the explosion was triggered by a fire in a warehouse where tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer had been stored haphazardly for years after arriving by ship, despite repeated warnings to senior officials. Judge Tarek Bitar resumed his investigation this year as Lebanon's balance of power shifted following a war between Zionist entity and Hezbollah that weakened the Iran-backed militant group, which had spearheaded a campaign for Bitar's resignation. Aoun said the Lebanese state 'is committed to uncovering the whole truth, no matter the obstacles or how high the positions' involved. 'The law applies to all, without exception,' Aoun said in a statement. Monday has been declared a day of national mourning, and rallies demanding justice are planned later in the day, converging on the port. 'The blood of your loved ones will not be in vain,' the president told victims' families, adding: 'Justice is coming, accountability is coming.' After resuming work following a more than two-year impasse, Bitar has finished questioning defendants and suspects, a judicial official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Those questioned include former prime minister Hassan Diab, as well as military and security officials, while several former ministers did not appear for questioning, the official said. Bitar is waiting for some procedures to be completed, including receiving responses from several Arab and European countries following a request for 'information on specific incidents', the official added, without elaborating. The judge will then finalize the investigation and refer the file to the public prosecution for its opinion before he issues an indictment, the official said. President Aoun said that 'we are working with all available means to ensure the investigations are completed with transparency and integrity'. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, a former International Court of Justice judge, said on Sunday that knowing the truth and ensuring accountability were national issues, decrying decades of official impunity. Aoun and Salam took office earlier this year, in the wake of the Zionist-Hezbollah war, with both leaders pledging to uphold judicial independence. Officials named in the investigation had filed a flurry of lawsuits seeking to prevent it from going forward. Nobody is currently in custody over the case. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a joint statement on Monday that 'despite the resumption of the investigation, the road to justice remains littered with political and legal challenges'. They urged authorities to ensure a comprehensive, unobstructed investigation that establishes 'the facts and circumstances surrounding the explosion, encompassing the full chain of responsibility', whether domestic or international. Mariana Fodoulian from the association of victims' families said that 'for five years, officials have been trying to evade accountability, always thinking they are above the law.' 'We're not asking for anything more than the truth,' she told AFP. 'We won't stop until we get comprehensive justice.' — AFP
