Starmer: Hamas must disarm and play no role in Gaza’s future
PM responds to question welcoming recognition of Palestinian state
Keir Starmer has told the House of Commons that Hamas must “decommission its weapons, dismantle its terror infrastructure, and have no future role in governing Gaza”.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer responded to a call from Labour MP Rachel Hopkins for a Palestinian-led government in the region, and expressed pride in the government’s commitment to a two-state solution.
Starmer also confirmed that the UK would host a conference next month aimed at building “lasting peace and security for both Palestine and Israel.”
Earlier, Rachel Hopkins welcomed the government’s recognition of a Palestinian state and praised Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper’s statement at the UN Security Council, which reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to increasing humanitarian access to Gaza and advancing a two-state solution.
Hopkins asked: “Does the Prime Minister agree that protecting civilians, upholding international law and supporting Palestinian-led governments are essential for a lasting peace?”
In response, Starmer said: “I’m proud of our commitment to a two-state solution, and we will be hosting the peace-building conference in March to build lasting peace and security for both Palestine and Israel.
“Hamas must decommission its weapons, destroy its terrorist infrastructure, and have no future role in running Gaza.
“But while aid flows have increased, the level of need is still dire. The Israeli government must stop blocking supplies and preventing the work of international NGOs. That is unconscionable, and it is costing Palestinian lives.”
Following PMQs Labour Friends of Israel director Michael Rubin told Jewish News:”The Prime Minister is absolutely right to point to next month’s peacebuilding conference as an opportunity for UK leadership in building lasting peace and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians.
“We must take our successful experience of the International Fund for Ireland and use it to help lay the civic society foundations for a two-state solution.
“At the same time, it is vital to be crystal clear about the fundamental threat Hamas poses to any prospects for peace which is why it was welcome to see such clarity from the PM regarding the terrorist group.”
Last year it was confirmed that the UK will host a key peacebuilding conference on 12 March next year to help establish an International Peace Fund for Israel and Palestine.
The conference at Lancaster House will bring together civil society leaders from across the region and delivers on the PM’s pledge to host the event and set up a fund which can provide the long-term finance that is required for peacebuilding efforts to deliver genuine change.
The foreign secretary said:”This conference will be a crucial step in that journey, bringing together representatives of Palestinian and Israeli civil society to build common ground between their communities, challenge entrenched divisions, and work towards a future where both states can live side-by-side in peace and security. ”
Discussions will focus on the practical steps that the Peace Fund can best support, and the best practice that can be learned from other similar initiatives, including the International Fund for Ireland that helped support dialogue and reconciliation between unionist and nationalist communities more than a decade before the Good Friday Agreement.
The fund will support activities that bring Israelis and Palestinians together to reduce violence, build trust, and create the conditions for a lasting and just peace.
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