UK Threatens Palestinian State Recognition by September Unless Israel Ends Gaza War and Commits to Peace

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that the United Kingdom will recognize the State of Palestine in the UN General Assembly in September if Israel does not make concrete movements towards ending the war in Gaza and re-enters a peace process. This statement comes at a time when global pressure is building and humanitarian conditions in Gaza are worsening, with aid agencies warning of famine and widespread starvation.

Starmer enumerated several conditions for Israel to avoid the recognition phase: agreeing to a ceasefire, opening the way to free humanitarian aid, halting annexation plans in the West Bank, and going back on the two-state solution. He clarified that the recognition will not lend legitimacy to Hamas, a designated UK terrorist organization.

Israel's government condemned the announcement as a "reward for Hamas" and warned that a Palestinian state on its border might become an eventual threat to the UK. Opposition leaders blamed the Israeli government for diplomatic shortcomings, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials were incensed.

France and Malta have already pledged to recognize Palestinian statehood in September, and the UK move is expected to influence other Western nations. Starmer's move represents a significant shift in British foreign policy, triggered by local and global pressure amid the Gaza crisis.