60 MPs Urge UK to Immediately Recognize Palestinian State
A group of centrist and left-wing MPs write a letter this week to the Foreign Secretary David Lammy asking him to act immediately to stop Israel's reported plan to establish a so-called 'humanitarian city' of tents in the ruins of Rafah, in southern Gaza.
'By not recognizing [Palestine] as a state, we undermine our own policy of a two-state solution and set an expectation that the status quo can continue and see the effective erasure and annexation of Palestinian territory,' the letter said.
The MPs also described the plan as 'ethnic cleansing' warning that such a move means the forcible transfer of civilians and the erasure of Palestinian presence as well.
'It is with great urgency and concern that we are writing to you regarding the Israeli Defense Minister's announcement on Monday of his plans to forcibly transfer all Palestinian civilians in Gaza to a camp in the ruined city of Rafah without allowing them to leave,' the letter added. Five Measures
In this context, the 59 MPs introduced five different measures for the government to stop the Israeli government from carrying out its Rafah plan.
Organized by Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East group, the letter requests ministers to take five different measures to ensure the following: Recognizing the state of Palestine
Supporting the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)
Securing the release of hostages
Pressing for the full and unhindered resumption of humanitarian aid
Fully reviewing and placing restrictions on trade with and financial support of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank
Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 57,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 137,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
Related Topics:
Malta to Recognize Palestinian State in June, Says PM
France 'Determined' to Recognize Palestinian State, PM Says
OIC Welcomes Slovenia's Decision to Recognize Palestine
Short link :
Post Views: 6
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump issues Russia deadline as Gaza truce talks enter second week
In this episode of W News, presented by Jono Hayes, we cover US President Donald Trump's warning to Russia: resolve the Ukraine war within 50 days or face sweeping new economic sanctions. Trump also unveiled plans for additional US weapons support for Kyiv. We also report on the faltering Gaza ceasefire talks, now in their second week. Mediators in Qatar are struggling to bridge the gap between Israel and Hamas, as both sides accuse each other of stalling a deal for a 60-day truce and hostage release after 21 months of war. Guests: Nick Harper – Correspondent John Kavulich – Senior Editor for Outcome Modeling Analysis at Issue Insight Blake Sifton – Correspondent Patrick Fok – Correspondent
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
Palestinian president says Hamas must hand over weapons in Gaza
LONDON: The Palestinian Authority's President Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed that Hamas will not take part in governing the coastal enclave of the post-war Gaza Strip during a meeting with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in Amman. Abbas said Hamas must surrender its weapons to the PA and participate in political actions aligned with the principles of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Neither Hamas nor Islamic Jihad is part of the PLO, and both groups have long rejected calls to join what Palestinians consider their sole political representative since the 1960s. Abbas said that Hamas must recognize that in the Palestinian territories, there should be 'one system, one law, and one legitimate weapon,' during his meeting on Sunday evening with Blair, who served as the special envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East from 2007 to 2015. Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007 after armed clashes with PA forces, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 700 Palestinians, according to an official tally. Since then, it has engaged in several conflicts with Israel, the most recent being the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, which resulted in the deaths and abduction of several hundred people and prompted an ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed over 58,000 Palestinians. Abbas called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and the flow of humanitarian aid. He stressed the need for a two-state solution and the importance of the French-Saudi-sponsored conference, scheduled for the end of July in New York, to gain support for establishing a Palestinian state.
Al Arabiya
5 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
BBC says Gaza documentary breached accuracy guidelines, but finds no bias
A BBC documentary about children's lives in Gaza narrated by the 13-year-old son of a Hamas official breached its editorial guidelines on accuracy, an internal review by the British public broadcaster said on Monday. The investigation, however, found there were no other breaches of the BBC's editorial guidelines, including on impartiality, and no evidence that outside interests 'inappropriately impacted on the program.' The BBC removed 'Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone' from its online platform in February, five days after it was broadcast, saying it had 'serious flaws.' The documentary was made by independent production company HOYO Films. A review found the program breached a guideline on accuracy that deals with misleading audiences. The background on the narrator's father — a minister in the Hamas-run government in Gaza — was 'critical information,' which was not shared with the BBC before broadcast, the review found. Gaza's health ministry says more than 58,000 people have been killed since the start of the war on Oct. 7 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages into Gaza. The BBC's coverage of the war has been heavily scrutinized throughout the conflict, with both supporters of Israel and its critics saying the broadcaster had failed to strike the right balance. 'Regardless of how the significance or otherwise of the Narrator's father's position was judged, the audience should have been informed about this,' said the report by Peter Johnston, BBC Director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews. BBC Director-General Tim Davie said the report identified a significant failing in relation to accuracy. 'We will now take action on two fronts – fair, clear and appropriate actions to ensure proper accountability and the immediate implementation of steps to prevent such errors being repeated,' Davie said in a statement.
