British Government set to recognise Palestinian sovereignty over Judaism’s holiest sites
April Memorandum refers to recognition of a Palestinian state 'based on 1967 lines' - which would see Jerusalem's Old City, the Western Wall and Temple Mount recognised as Palestinian territory
The British government has been unable to confirm whether its planned unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state in September will lead to it recognising Judaism’s holiest sites as being under Palestinian sovereignty.
On Monday morning, the Prime Minister’s office spokesperson responded to a question from a Parliamentary Lobby journalist, Ben Bloch of Sky News, about the borders of a Palestinian state which the UK would recognise. The spokesperson referred to a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Palestinian Authority in April. The document in question refers to recognising a two-state solution “based on 1967 lines”.
The 1967 lines, also known as the Green Line, refers to the borders from 1949-1967 – when Egypt controlled Gaza and Jordan controlled both East Jerusalem and the West Bank. During this period, Jordan controlled the Old City of Jerusalem, including the city’s historic Jewish Quarter – ethnically cleansed of its Jewish community in 1948 – as well as both the Western Wall and the Temple Mount.
While the FCDO’s long-term position has been that of recognising a two-state solution based on the 1967 lines, this has not previously proved controversial – largely due to the fact that recognition of a Palestinian state was traditionally predicated on coming at a later stage of a process worked out by Israel and the Palestinians, where one would naturally assume that the issue would be worked out between the two.
However, the British government’s sudden policy shift, with Keir Starmer’s announcement last week of the UK’s planned unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state by September, has changed the situation. As things stand, the UK is currently in a position where it looks set to recognise Palestinian sovereignty over the Old City of Jerusalem, the Western Wall and the Temple Mount – Judaism’s Holiest site – with the potential to cause serious diplomatic ruptures.
In a message on Sunday published on social media, Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, posted pictures of himself at the Western Wall, where he had gone on the Fast of Tisha B’Av, which commemorates the destruction of both the First and Second Temples on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
“On Tisha B’Av, two thousand years after the destruction of the Second Temple, the Western Wall and the Temple Mount are again under the sovereignty of the State of Israel,” he wrote.
“Israel haters around the world continue to make decisions against us and protest, and we will strengthen our hold and sovereignty over Jerusalem, at the Western Wall, and the Temple Mount, forever,” he added.
The FCDO has been contacted for comment.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
