LONDON — The United Kingdom will recognize a Palestinian state before the next general election, a government minister indicated Monday.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said ministers “want to” and “will” recognize a Palestinian state — including during the current parliament, due to end in 2029 — if it helps an Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Pressed by Sky News about whether the recognition — demanded by hundreds of British MPs — would come in this parliament, Reynolds said: “In this parliament, yes, I mean, if it delivers the breakthrough that we need.
“But don’t forget, we can only do this once. If we do it in a way which is tokenistic, doesn’t produce the end to this conflict, where do we go to next?”
The comments come amid mounting pressure on U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Israel is facing growing international condemnation over scenes of starving children in the strip.
More than 200 MPs from nine parties signed a letter Friday calling for an immediate recognition of a Palestinian state, arguing this would have a “significant impact due to our historic connections.” French President Emmanuel Macron upped the ante last week, as he committed France to such a move.
Though insisting statehood is the “inalienable right” of the Palestinian people, Starmer has so far resisted slapping a timeframe on such a move. He has said recognition will happen “at a time most conducive to the prospects of peace.”
“I know many countries around the world have already done this,” Reynolds said of recognition Monday. “To be frank, to be candid, it hasn’t stopped the appalling scenes that we’re talking about this morning.
“So we’ve got to use this moment — you can only do it once. Use it in a way that gets the breakthrough that we need. And the U.S. is really important in that.”
The prime minister will recall his Cabinet later this week to discuss the situation in Gaza.
On Monday Starmer meets U.S. President Donald Trump in Scotland, and will discuss the resumption of American involvement in peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas, the militant group behind the deadly October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.
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