By Elham Asaad Buaras
London, (The Muslim News): Foreign Secretary David Lammy has announced that the UK will recognise the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September—unless Israel halts its military campaign in Gaza and shows a concrete commitment to a two-state solution.
Speaking on Tuesday at the UN High-Level Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, Lammy opened with a stark reminder: “We gather today at a dark moment—660 days since the Israeli hostages were first cruelly taken by Hamas terrorists. There is no possible justification for this suffering. And only a clear duty that we help bring it to an end.”
He condemned the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza as “heartbreaking,” emphasising, “Children are starving, and Israel’s drip-feeding of aid has horrified the world. These are an affront to the values of the Charter of the United Nations.” Lammy made clear that what is needed is not only an immediate ceasefire but also a durable peace plan: “That requires not just an immediate ceasefire but also a plan to make it last.”
Reflecting on Britain’s historic role, he recalled the Balfour Declaration’s promise that “nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights” of Palestinians—“a promise,” Lammy said, “that has not been upheld and is a historical injustice which continues to unfold.”
His criticism of Israel’s leadership was unequivocal, “The Netanyahu government’s rejection of a two-state solution is wrong—it’s wrong morally, and it’s wrong strategically. It harms the interests of the Israeli people, closing off the only path to a just and lasting peace.”
With “the hand of history on our shoulders,” Lammy declared the UK’s intention to recognise the State of Palestine unless Israel takes specific actions, including ending its military operation in Gaza and committing to a long-term peace process. “No one side will have a veto on recognition through their actions or inactions,” he emphasised.
The announcement follows Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent statement that the UK would recognise Palestine if Israel fails to meet four conditions, including an immediate ceasefire. This move has provoked sharp reactions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned it as “appeasement towards jihadist terrorists,” warning, “A jihadist state on Israel’s border today will threaten Britain tomorrow. Appeasement… always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen.”
But Labour MP and Foreign Affairs Committee chair Dame Emily Thornberry defended the government’s decision as “great news” and “a major change in British foreign policy.” Speaking to Sky News, she said, “It has to be the beginning of Britain saying we’re back, we’re not going to look away anymore because it’s too hard. We’re actually going to get involved.”
Thornberry dismissed suggestions that the move was motivated by pressure from Jeremy Corbyn’s new party, pointing out that it “was also in the Labour manifesto, and parliament voted in favour of it in 2014.” She criticised Netanyahu’s reaction, saying he “seems to have completely lost it” and accused the Israeli leadership of wanting “to continue some sort of perpetual war with his neighbours.”
When asked if Hamas must vacate Gaza as a prerequisite for recognising Palestine, Thornberry responded emphatically: “If you have an inalienable right to a state, which is what the Labour Party manifesto asserts, and I concur with that—you cannot impose conditions on a right, can you?”
The momentum to recognise Palestine is not limited to the UK. On July 24, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognise Palestine in September, becoming the first G7 country and permanent member of the UN Security Council to do so. Macron said, “The French people want peace in the Middle East,” urging collective initiative.
Adding to the international call for action, former Irish President Mary Robinson, speaking for The Elders, expressed deep concern about the humanitarian crisis, calling it “unconscionable” and warning that recognition must be “effective, not symbolic.” She even stated, “It is my personal view that we are seeing an unfolding genocide in Gaza… Member states cannot wait… You must act now to prevent genocide.”
Lammy emphasised that merely recognising Palestine would not alleviate the suffering. The UK is coordinating humanitarian airdrops with Jordan, facilitating medical treatment for injured children in British hospitals, and pressing for the resumption of full UN relief operations. Additionally, Britain is contributing to a broader governance and security plan for Gaza, alongside international partners.
He concluded by affirming that “the only viable path forward is through mutual recognition: Israelis in secure, internationally accepted borders, and Palestinians in their own sovereign state, free from occupation and living in dignity.” Lammy warned, “The decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians cannot be managed or contained. It must now be resolved. Britain is ready to play its full and historic part.”
[Photo: Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the United Nations Two-State Solution Conference. Picture by Elliot Vick / FCDO/Flickr]
