The UK officially recognises Palestine as a sovereign state -VIDEO
Keir Starmer announced that the UK will officially recognize Palestine as a state, marking a major shift in government policy, News.Az reports citing the BBC.
In a video statement on X, the prime minister said: "In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution."
Australia and Canada also announced formal recognition of the state of Palestine on Sunday, with Portugal expected to follow.
The decision has drawn fierce criticism from the Israeli government, families of hostages held in Gaza and some Conservatives. Recognition "would endanger our existence and serve as absurd reward for terrorism," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.
Both the Israeli and US governments say recognition is a diplomatic gift for Hamas following its attack in southern Israel on 7 October 2023 in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
Sir Keir insisted that the decision "is not a reward for Hamas" because it means Hamas can have "no future, no role in government, no role in security".
"Our call for a genuine two-state solution is the exact opposite of [Hamas's] hateful vision," he said.
The move is a "pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people that there can be a better future," he continued, adding that the "starvation and devastation [in Gaza] are utterly intolerable" and the "death and destruction horrifies all of us".
The prime minister said in July the UK would shift its position unless Israel met several conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and committing to a long-term peace process leading to a Palestinian state co-existing alongside Israel.
Successive UK governments have previously said recognition should come as part of a peace process and at a time of maximum impact.
However, ministers argued there was a moral responsibility to keep hopes of a long-term peace alive.
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