Starmer: Hamas must also meet demands of UK ahead of Palestine statehood decision
EXCLUSIVE: In article for Jewish News, PM insists onus not just on Israel BUT families of hostages say officials told them Palestine could be recognised even while loved ones remain in captivity
Keir Starmer has insisted Hamas will be assessed on whether they’d sufficiently met the government’s demands ahead of any decision to recognise a Palestinian state – but failed to rule explicitly rule out the move while hostages remain in Gaza.
The prime minister’s words came amid widespread criticism from within the community of the government’s announcement on Tuesday that the UK would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel met certain conditions, including agreeing a ceasefire and reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.
Critics accused the Government of “rewarding terrorism” and placing conditions solely on Israel.
In an exclusive article for the Jewish News, the Prime Minister attempted to offer more clarity on how the UK planned to reach its controversial decision on recognition – stressing that it will be dependent on the actions taken by both Israel AND Hamas before the UN conference in September. KEIR STARMER EXCLUSIVE: Our stance encouraged Arab states to call for Hamas to disarm
“We will make an assessment ahead of the UN General Assembly on how far the parties have met the steps we set out – and of course that includes the terrorists of Hamas,” he writes. “No one side will have a veto on recognition through their actions or inactions.
“Our demands on Hamas have not changed. The hostages must be released immediately. Hamas must lay down their weapons and accept that they have no future role in the governance of Gaza – so that the Palestinian people can build a future in peace.”
He continues: “I want to be very clear that ultimately, the two state solution can only advance if it represents a defeat for Hamas, who must accept they have no future.”
He failed however to explicitly make it clear that there would be no recognition while hostages are held by the terror group. Earlier in the day, families of British linked hostages, who claimed earlier today that they’d been told in talks with foreign office officials last night that Palestine could be recognised even if their loved ones remain in captivity.
Defending the decision to announce the recognition proposal on Tuesday, Starmer says: “Our stance on this has helped to encourage others in the region to come out strongly too. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt are calling for Hamas to release the hostages, disarm and get out of the way once and for all.
“Hamas are pariahs to everyone. The faster they vacate the stage, the faster peace will come.
“Everything we do in the Middle East is aimed at getting the hostages out, getting humanitarian aid to civilians, and accelerating the process towards peace. The suffering is far too great, and it has gone on for far too long.”
He added: “Our ultimate goal has not changed. We want to see a two state solution, with no role for the evil terrorists of Hamas. The PM also appeared to suggest the surprise over last Tuesday’s announcement was misplaced. I’ve always said we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process, at the moment of maximum impact for the two state solution.
“It’s clear that with this solution under threat like never before, that moment has arrived. That’s why I have announced our intention to recognise Palestine in September, unless Israel takes substantive steps to urgently alleviate the terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza, and commit to a long-term sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two state solution.”
Jewish News understands that Labour MPs and peers opposing the government’s decision to move to recognising a Palestinian state in September, without a guarantee from Hamas on the release of all hostages, also held a meeting on Zoom with UK national security adviser Jonathan Powell, in which they voiced their frustration at the plan.
Some accused the government of capitulating to the demands of the “soft-left” grouping of MPs with their announcement on recognition, while failing to listen to the voice of MPs in touch with a more realistic position.
Some at the meeting pointed to a likely scenario in which neither Hamas nor Israel will meet the steps asked of them in time for the September UN meeting. This would leave the government facing accusations that it had engaged in meaningless gesture politics that did little to change the situation on the ground in the Middle East.
But other supporters of the government’s plan to recognise a Palestinian state urged them to stress harder that a two-state solution was not something that Hamas actually supported.
Among those attending an often frosty meeting with national security adviser Powell, who is at the centre of the recognition proposal, were Justice Minister Sarah Sackman, MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Labour Friends of Israel’s parliamentary chair Jon Pearce and the MP Luke Akehurst.
Earlier, freed hostage Emily Damari, who was released in January after being held by Hamas for more than 15 months, said the UK prime minister “risks rewarding terror” with the move.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the UK’s stance rewarded “Hamas’s monstrous terrorism”.
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