British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is presenting a plan to end the war in Gaza – which also includes the recognition of a Palestinian state – to his allies in the United States, Europe and the Arab countries in the coming days.
This was announced by Starmer’s official spokesman, who said he would present a “permanent peace” plan in the Middle East in the coming days. When asked if the plan would include the recognition of a Palestinian state, he replied: “This plan aims to pave the way towards peace and take the necessary steps to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East. I will not preempt the plan, but as I mentioned, we are clear that the recognition of a Palestinian state must be one of the steps in the two-state solution, and part of a broader plan that provides permanent security for the Palestinians and Israelis.”
Starmer’s spokesman also confirmed that the Prime Minister will hold a meeting of his government later this week to discuss the situation in Gaza and the actions and next steps of the British government. This comes after Starmer had a conversation with the leaders of France and Germany last Saturday, where the three agreed to “work closely on a plan, based on their cooperation so far, that would pave the way for a long-term solution and achieve security in the region.”
At the same time, Starmer is under increasing pressure from his government to follow the lead of France and President Emmanuel Macron and officially recognize a Palestinian state. The Starmer-led Labor Party pledged to recognize a Palestinian state in its election program, but has been arguing for months about the need to do so at the right time to promote peace in the region. Last Friday, a third of the party’s deputies signed a letter declaring that the time had come for “immediate recognition.”
On the same day, Bloomberg reported that ministers and officials in the British government, including the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Culture, are pressuring Starmer and Foreign Minister David Lammy to announce the recognition of a Palestinian state, and express their disappointment that they have not done so yet
Starmer himself posted a video clip on Friday in which he said: “It is no longer possible to defend the disproportionate Israeli military escalation in Gaza. The recognition of a Palestinian state must be a step on the path to sustainable peace and part of a broader plan to achieve a two-state solution.”
The following day, Reuters reported that French President Macron had been trying for weeks to convince Britain and Canada to issue a joint declaration recognizing a Palestinian state, thereby forming a stable bloc within the Group of Seven. And despite his persistent efforts, the attempt failed, as both Britain and Canada rejected it for fear of Trump’s reaction.
Last night Starmer discussed the situation in the Middle East with Donald Trump himself at the US President’s golf course in Turnberry, Scotland. It was reported that Trump, before their meeting, stated that he did not object to Starmer taking a position regarding the official recognition of a Palestinian state. The American president said: “I won’t take a position, and I don’t care if I take a position. I’m trying to feed the people now, that’s my first position – because there are a lot of hungry people.”
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