Announcement marks significant shift in UK’s position – but why has it happened now and what effect will it have?
Keir Starmer is preparing to recognise Palestinian statehood as soon as September unless Israel meets key conditions, including reaching a ceasefire and committing to a long-term peace process.
The prime minister’s announcement on Tuesday marked a significant shift in the UK’s longstanding position that it would recognise Palestine as part of a peace process at the point of maximum impact.
Downing Street said Starmer would decide the extent to which Israel and Hamas had met his conditions before he made a decision beforethe UN general assembly in September.
This is the first time the government has set concrete conditions and a timeline for recognition of a Palestinian state.
