Starmer: UK will recognise Palestine at time most conducive to prospects of peace

Keir Starmer has described the situation in Gaza as “intolerable” but ruled out the UK immediately recognising a state of Palestine to bring about change.

Appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee, the Prime MInister confirmed the UK was committed to  to recognising a Palestinian state “at a time most conducive to the prospects of peace” in the region.

He told MPs: “The situation on the ground in Gaza is intolerable on so many levels and we make that absolutely clear in all our exchanges with Israel and with other countries.

“Whether that’s the deaths of those that are queuing for aid, whether it’s the plans to force Palestinians to live in certain areas or be excluded from certain areas, they are all intolerable and absolutely wrong in principle.”

He said the UK made its disapproval of the situation in Gaza  “absolutely clear in all our exchanges with Israel and other countries.”

The PM said:”Whether that’s the deaths for those that are queuing for aid, whether it’s the plans to force Palestinians to live in certain areas, they are all intolerable and absolutely wrong in principle

“We have taken action in terms of sanctions, in terms of what we’re doing with arms sales, and we are working hard with allies to ensure we bring about a ceasefire.”

Labour MP Andy Slaughter had earlier claimed that the action’s taken by the UK government in relation to Israel had failed to have an impact.

David Lammy joined other foreign ministers on mOnday  in condemning the Israeli government for depriving Gazans “of human dignity” as they called on the war to “end now”. UK joins 25 international allies demanding ‘immediate, unconditional, permanent Gaza ceasefire’

The Foreign Secretary and counterparts from 24 other nations including Australia, Canada and France, plus the EU commissioner for equality, urged the Israeli government to “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid”.

They also described proposals to move 600,000 Palestinians to a so-called “humanitarian city” in Rafah as “completely unacceptable”.

In a statement shared on Monday afternoon, the politicians said: “The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.”

Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Emily Thornberry, the chair of the foreign affairs select committee argued in favour of immediate recogniition of a Palestinian state.Thornberry rejects claims Palestinian recognition by UK would be reward for Hamas