Description: UK’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, while addressing the ministers of Parliament, has announced that his cabinet planned on recognizing the Palestinian statehood at the UN’s General Assembly in Sep if Israel didn’t commit towards serious steps of ending the war and the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Starmer, under internal political pressure from over 255 ministers of Parliament, who signed a joint petition to recognize Palestine, outlined four direct demands to Israel which would support the resolution of the war through reestablishing the two – state solution. Starmer said that Israel must allow UN aid convoys unrestricted access to the Strip, immediate cessation of annexation attempts in the West Bank or elsewhere, full and unconditional acceptation of a ceasefire and long – term commitment towards devising mechanisms for the implementation of the two – state solution. The Prime Minister also condemned Hamas and called for the terrorist organization to disarm, disband and renounce all governance pretentions for Gaza. Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia also delivered official calls to Hamas to disarm, condemning the 07 Oct 2023 attacks on Israel for the first time. The move was condemned by Israel’s leadership who labeled it sponsorship and acknowledgement of Hamas’ terrorism.
Impact: UK’s historical ties to Palestine as much as they delegitimize its role through Britain’s colonial ambitions, make the recognition of the Palestinian statehood all the more relevant on the global political stage. The UK joined France in spearheading efforts to revive the two – state solution to the war which was also conclusively supported by mediators Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia through their condemnation and calls for disarmament towards Hamas. Starmer’s and Lammy’s addresses in the UK’s Parliament and before the UN marked a significant shift in UK’s foreign policy towards Israel and its war in Gaza in general and set in motion a political initiative which might have the basis of overturning years of armed fighting and humanitarian devastation. Plenty of obstacles still remain unresolved, however, internationally sponsored initiatives such as this consolidate a political basis for forwarding a peaceful resolution to the war. Defiance by Israel and the US remains the largest impediment towards the implementation of the initiative, which at this point solely represents political intent rather than a constructive resolve in addressing the conflict.