LONDON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the United Kingdom will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, unless Israel takes “substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza,” including agreeing to a ceasefire, halting annexation plans in the West Bank, and committing to a long-term two-state peace process.
The decision followed an emergency Cabinet meeting and an internal push by over 230 MPs and cabinet members, including prominent figures such as Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, and former Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
Starmer framed the move as timely in light of mounting images and reports of mass starvation across Gaza, which he described as “increasingly intolerable” and further endangering the viability of a two-state solution.
Starmer stressed that the UK maintains the belief that there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas and upheld preconditions for Hamas: the immediate release of hostages, disarmament, renouncing any governing role in Gaza, and agreeing to a ceasefire.
Key Conditions UK Sets:
| Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ceasefire | Israel must agree to an immediate halt to military operations in Gaza |
| Aid Access | Permit full UN humanitarian aid delivery into Gaza, targeting at least 500 truckloads daily |
| No Annexation | Israel must formally renounce plans to annex parts of the West Bank |
| Peace Process | Commit to reviving negotiations toward a two-state solution |
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized at the UN that this move stems from the view that the two-state solution is in peril and that the UK bears a “special burden of responsibility” rooted in its historical ties to Palestine.
International Context & Reaction
France has already pledged recognition of Palestine at the same UN meeting, positioning the UK as the second permanent UNSC member to act if conditions go unmet. More than 140 nations currently recognise Palestinian statehood; UK recognition would increase that number to 151.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the UK’s announcement, calling it a “reward for Hamas” and accusing the UK of undermining ceasefire and hostage negotiations efforts. U.S. President Donald Trump, while expressing he had discussed humanitarian concerns with Starmer, stated he “has no view” on Palestinian statehood recognition and denied raising the subject during their meeting.
As global outrage over the Gaza humanitarian disaster intensifies—including reports of starvation and famine threshold breaches—Starmer’s conditional recognition signals a strategic shift in UK foreign policy aimed at salvaging diplomacy and pressuring action toward a two-state resolution.
