Following an emergency cabinet meeting on Gaza, Sir Keir Starmer made the announcement on Tuesday after a meeting with US President Donald Trump the day before.
He said the UK will recognise a Palestinian state by the UN general assembly in September unless Israel meets several conditions.
They are:
• Israel takes substantive steps to end the “appalling situation in Gaza”
• Israel agrees to a ceasefire
• Israel commits to a long-term sustainable peace – reviving the prospect of a two-state solution
• Israel must allow the UN to restart the supply of aid
• There must be no annexations in the West Bank.
Just last week, the Israeli Knesset (parliament), voted in favour of annexing the West Bank.
The UK follows France, which recently said it would also recognise Palestine as a state before the UN conference in September.
Ireland, Spain and Norway all officially recognised a Palestinian state last year.
Britain has long maintained that recognising Palestine as a state must be on condition of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
More than 200 MPs – over half of them Labour – including Labour chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee Emily Thornberry, recently called on Sir Keir to immediately recognise a Palestinian state.
However, the prime minister had repeatedly indicated he would not budge on the issue, saying he “very strongly” believes the only long-term solution to the Israel-Gaza conflict is a two-state solution.
Other Labour ministers had said recognising Palestine as a state would undermine Britain’s position as an impartial broker in the war.
Ministers have previously said they were committed to recognising a Palestinian state but would only do so “at a time that is most conducive to the peace process”.
Just before last summer’s election, Sir Keir said recognising Palestine as a state could jeopardise the UK’s relationship with the US.
The US, under Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Mr Trump, have maintained a veto policy when it comes to recognising a Palestinian state at the UN Security Council.
Sir Keir also revealed UK aid had been airdropped into Gaza today, and also by land.
But he said at least 500 aid trucks need to enter Gaza every day to end the starvation, with 27% of young children and pregnant women malnourished.
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