LONDON — Keir Starmer has committed to recognizing a Palestinian state ahead of September’s UN General Assembly, Downing Street announced Tuesday.
The British prime minister told a special meeting of his Cabinet that “now was the right time to move this position forward” because of the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the diminishing prospects of a peace process.
He said that the U.K. will recognize a Palestinian state in September unless the Israeli government takes “substantive steps” to end the crisis in Gaza and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a two-state solution.
Starmer repeated that Hamas must release all remaining hostages, accept that they will play no role in the government of Gaza, and disarm.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy is expected to expand on the plan at the UN summit currently being held in New York.
Starmer’s announcement follows the same commitment made last week by Emmanuel Macron, who promised to acknowledge Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly.
This developing story is being updated
