UK officially recognises Palestinian state as Israel brands move 'absurd'

In a Downing Street address posted on social media, the Prime Minister confirmed that the UK, alongside Canada and Australia, now recognises the Palestinian state.

The UK government confirms it recognises the state's provisional borders based on the 1967 lines, before Israel occupied the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

The Prime Minister wrote: "Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine."

In a video, Sir Keir said: "We are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution. That means a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state.

"At the moment, we have neither. Ordinary people, Israeli and Palestinian, deserve to live in peace."

Sir Keir's announcement comes as part of a coordinated effort from Canada, Australia, and the UK to recognise the state ahead of the UN General Assembly this week.

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Sir Keir added: "Recent images show the hostages suffering and emaciated. Hamas even refuse to release all the bodies of the dead. I have met British families of the hostages. I see the torture that they endure each and every day. Pain that strikes deep in people's hearts across Israel and here in the United Kingdom.

"The hostages must be released immediately and we will keep fighting to bring them home. Let's be frank. Hamas is a brutal terror organisation. Our call for a genuine two state solution is the exact opposite of their hateful vision.

"So we are clear, this solution is not a reward for Hamas because it means Hamas can have no future, no role in government, no role in security. We have already proscribed and sanctioned Hamas and we will go further. I have directed work to sanction other Hamas figures in the coming weeks.

Directing his words towards the Israeli government, Sir Keir said: "Meanwhile, the man-made humanitarian crisis in Gaza reaches new depths. The Israeli government's relentless and increasing bombardment of Gaza.

"The offensive of recent weeks, the starvation and devastation are utterly intolerable. Tens of thousands have been killed, including thousands of as they tried to collect food and water. This death and destruction horrifies all of us. It must end.

"We have evacuated the first group of sick and injured children to the United Kingdom to be treated by the NHS. And we continue to increase our humanitarian support. But still nowhere near enough aid is getting through. We call again on the Israeli government to lift the unacceptable restrictions at the border. Stop these cruel tactics and let the aid surge in."

Ahead of the announcement, a spokeswoman for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netayahu said he viewed the recognition of a Palestinian state as "absurd".

Shosh Bedrosian told reporters: "There have been media reports suggesting the British prime minister Keir Starmer is planning on announcing the UK's recognition of a Palestinian state today, a manoeuvre that prime minister Netanyahu has called absurd and simply a reward for terrorism."

She said Hamas did not want a state alongside Israel "they want a state instead of Israel".

She added: "The Prime Minister has made it very clear to me that his message to nations that are taking the avenue to disregard the sheer utter chaos Hamas has thrusted Gaza into and Israel, including our soldiers, families and of course, hostages still held in Hamas captivity, that the people of Israel aren't going to commit suicide because of the political needs of European politics."

The Israeli foreign ministry later condemned the move, saying: "Recognition is nothing but a reward for jihadist Hamas."

In a post on X it said "Hamas leaders themselves openly admit: this recognition is a direct outcome, the 'fruit' for the October 7 massacre.

"Don't let Jihadist ideology dictate your policy."

Other Israeli officials suggested the IDF could annex the West Bank in response to Starmer's announcement.

Finishing his announcement, Sir Keir concluded: "This is a practical plan to bring people together behind a common vision and a series of steps, including the reform of the Palestinian Authority. That takes us from a ceasefire in Gaza to negotiations on a two state solution. We will keep driving this forward.

"As part of this effort, I set out in July the terms upon which we would act. In line with our manifesto to recognise Palestinian statehood. That moment has now arrived.

"So today, to revive the hope of peace and a two state solution, I state clearly, as Prime Minister of this great country, that the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine."

Families of hostages held in Gaza have condemned the Government’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state, calling it a “betrayal of humanity and a move that rewards Hamas while 48 hostages remain in captivity”.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK, a group representing relatives of captives with British ties, said in a statement: “Instead of confronting Hamas, Britain has emboldened it. Hamas has already celebrated the UK’s move as a victory, while continuing to block ceasefire deals and humanitarian access.”

The families demanded “concrete action” by ministers, including securing medical access for the hostages, applying maximum pressure to force Hamas to release them all, and guaranteeing they are not used as human shields amid intensifying fighting.

Ilay David, brother of hostage Evyatar David, who was seen emaciated in a Hamas video last month, said: “Any form of recognition from nations like the UK is a bad idea. The timing is wrong. We have to say, ‘Until the hostages are home and Hamas de-weaponises we cannot recognise anything’.”

The announcement of the UK recognising Palestine followed recognition by Australia and Canada on Sunday.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: "Australia's recognition of Palestine today, alongside Canada and the United Kingdom, is part of a co-ordinated international effort to build new momentum for a two-state solution, starting with a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages taken in the atrocities of October 7, 2023."

Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, said: "Canada does so as part of a co-ordinated international effort to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution.

"While Canada is under no illusions that this recognition is a panacea, this recognition is firmly aligned with the principles of self- determination and fundamental human rights reflected in the United Nations Charter, and the consistent policy of Canada for generations."

Before the announcement, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy told LBC it is "noble" to want a two-state solution in Gaza as Sir Keir Starmer prepares to recognise a Palestinian state.

Speaking to LBC's Sunday with Lewis Goodall, Sir Keir's recently-appointed deputy said: "We've been very clear on our position on Hamas, but Hamas is not the Palestinian people, and it's mendacious, frankly, to confuse Hamas with the Palestinian people."

Mr Lammy added: "The desire for two states is a noble desire shared by every right-thinking person in the world. We recognise that recognition will not in of itself bring about two states".

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On the current situation unfolding in Gaza, Mr Lammy said: "When I said at the UN at the end of July that we would do this unless we saw a ceasefire, what's happened since then is the Rafah offensive, which will lead to hundreds, maybe thousands of people losing their lives.

"What's happened since then is the (West Bank) expansion and development that's been announced by the (Israeli) government which would run a coach and horses between the north and south of the West Bank and make it very difficult to see how you would ever get to a two-state solution.

"And what's happened since then is more people have continued to die and in the end, the children of Gaza, and indeed the West Bank, deserve a state of their own. And we cannot say that we must have perfect conditions to arrive at that state".

Israel is currently engaged in a ground offensive into Gaza City, which was preceded by aerial bombardment upon targets it says houses Hamas infrastructure.

IDF strikes killed at least 34 people in the enclave overnight, including children, health officials said on Sunday.

Health officials at Shifa Hospital said the dead included 14 people killed in a late-night strike upon the famine-stricken city on Saturday, which hit a residential block in the southern side of the city.

Health staff said a nurse who worked at the hospital was among the dead, along with his wife and three children.

The Israeli military, which says it wants to "destroy Hamas' military infrastructure" and has urged Palestinians to leave, hasn't given a timeline for the offensive, but there were indications it could take months.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, the death toll in the enclave has climbed above 65,100 since October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists stormed into southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

Their figures are regarded as reliable by the U.N. and many independent experts.

Over 250 people were also taken hostage, on October 7, 48 remain in Gaza with fewer than half believed to be alive.

Before the announcement, Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride criticised the government - saying that the recognition was a result of internal Labour party politics.

Mr Stride told LBC News: "I think it's the wrong move. I think it's rewarding terrorism. It's going to do nothing to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza or see the release of the hostages or indeed see us moving towards peace and a two-state solution".

He added: "So as to why the Prime Minister has decided to do this, I think the answer is pressure from within his own cabinet and backbenches. He's rather like a cork on the tide, just being pushed around in that way. And it's a reflection of the unsettled nature, I think, of his premiership at the moment".

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: "The Prime Minister is wrong to recognise a Palestinian state.

"This is a reward for the Hamas terrorists and will do nothing to bring about peace."

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said recognition of a Palestinian state was an "absolutely disastrous" move by the Prime Minister.

She said: "We will all rue the day this decision was made. Rewarding terrorism with no conditions whatsoever put in place for Hamas.

"It leaves hostages languishing in Gaza and does nothing to stop the suffering of innocent people caught in this war.

"It is because Labour cannot fix the big problems in our society that they focus on discredited student union campaigns to appease the hard left."

The Board of Deputies of British Jews said in a statement: "There will be deep dismay at the Prime Minister's announcement across the Jewish community and among family members of hostages.

"As we feared and warned, the way the UK has chosen to recognise a Palestinian state has done nothing to advance a ceasefire, free the hostages, stop the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, or advance long-term peace.

"It may have set those goals back, by reducing pressure on Hamas and enabling them to claim recognition as the 'fruits' of its violence and intransigence.

"We will continue to press the government on how it will now use Britain's diplomatic leverage to bring about the release of the hostages, two of whom have British family; end Hamas' reign of terror; and meaningfully enhance conditions for peace between Israelis and Palestinians."