Britain moves to officially recognize the State of Palestine, a decision Prime Minister Keir Starmer described as “a step toward peace.” The announcement, delivered from Downing Street, marks a dramatic pivot in the UK’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict and signals frustration with Israel’s continued military operations in Gaza.
UK PM Keir Starmer said the UK will postpone the move if Israel agrees to a ceasefire, takes action to alleviate the crisis in Gaza, and commits to a permanent ceasefire with Gaza. “That offer was not taken,” a British official confirmed, describing the decision as “irreversible.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a strong rebuke. “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims,” he posted on social media. “A jihadist state on Israel’s border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW.”
The announcement follows months of international pressure on Israel over its handling of the war in Gaza, which began after Hamas attacked Israeli towns on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking hostages. Israel’s military response has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and pushed much of the enclave to the brink of famine, according to UN-backed analysts.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy reinforced the UK’s position during a UN conference in New York. “There is no contradiction between supporting Israel’s security and supporting Palestinian statehood,” Lammy told the assembly. “In fact, the opposite is true.” He condemned Israel’s rejection of the two-state framework. “The Netanyahu government’s stance is both morally and strategically wrong,” Lammy said to loud applause. He also acknowledged Britain’s historical role in shaping the conflict, pointing to the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which promised a Jewish homeland while also pledging to protect the rights of non-Jewish communities in Palestine.
“That second promise was never fulfilled,” Lammy said. “It is a historical injustice that continues to unfold.”
The move has widened a diplomatic rift between London and Jerusalem, and raised questions about unity among Western allies. Donald Trump criticized the UK’s decision while en route from Scotland, warning it could “embolden Hamas.” The Biden administration has yet to release an official statement.
For Israel, the timing is politically sensitive. Netanyahu relies on far-right coalition partners who oppose any form of Palestinian sovereignty. Accepting Britain’s offer to delay recognition could have fractured his government. Netanyahu, a long-standing opponent of the two-state model, recently said a Palestinian state would serve as a “launchpad” for future attacks.
Meanwhile, Britain’s decision aligns with France, which also recently pushed to recognise Palestine state. Both countries being permanent members of the UN Security Council, are expected to present a united front at the General Assembly in September.
The decision comes amid a broader international push to revive the two-state solution, led by France and Saudi Arabia. A joint statement from the New York summit laid out a roadmap for renewed negotiations and condemned Hamas’s October attacks.
In Downing Street, sources say graphic images of starving children in Gaza hardened political resolve. “The killing and devastation became impossible to ignore,” one senior official said.
Britain’s position now reflects a belief that waiting for better timing will only prolong suffering. As Lammy put it, “We act today not only to address the present crisis, but to help correct a century-old promise that was never fulfilled.”
The UK sees this as a necessary jolt to restart stalled peace efforts—and a clear message that the cost of inaction is no longer acceptable.
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