Keir Starmer says UK will recognise Palestine by September
According to a written handout of the cabinet meeting he held earlier today (Tuesday, July 29), Starmer said this would happen "unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza".
It added that they needed to reach a ceasefire, make clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commit to a long-term peace process that delivers a two-state solution.
BREAKING: Keir Starmer announces UK will formally recognise the state of Palestine this September as a result of the 'increasingly intolerable' situation on the ground in Gaza, unless Israel abides by ceasefire and commits to a two-state solution.
This news comes after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) issued an alert saying "the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip," BBC News reports.
The alert from the UN-backed review says: "Mounting evidence shows that widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths".
Israel has been engaged in conflict with the militant group Hamas in Palestine, which has led to this situation.
Starmer said that while air drops of aid have started today, he wants to see at least 500 trucks of aid per day enter Gaza.
BREAKING: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced the UK will recognise Palestine as a state by the United Nations meeting in September, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire.
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Starmer says the time to recognise Palestine is now, as it will have the highest impact, as the hope of a two-state solution - a "secure" Israel alongside a "viable" Palestinian state - is at risk.
A further excerpt from the cabinet meeting readout said: "[The PM] said that because of the increasingly intolerable situation in Gaza and the diminishing prospect of a peace process towards a two-state solution, now was the right time to move this position forward."
Starmer reiterated that there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas and that the UK's demands on Hamas remain.
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This is 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.
Starmer is committed to making an assessment ahead of the summit on how far the parties have met these steps before making a final decision.
French President Emmanuel Macron had previously said France would recognise a Palestinian state at the same United Nations summit.
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