Thornberry rejects claims Palestinian recognition by UK would be reward for Hamas
Foreign Affairs Select Committeee chair says there would not be 'link' between recognition and Oct 7th Hamas attacks
Emily Thornberry has rejected claims that recognition of a Palestinian state by the UK would be rewarding Hamas for the atrocities the terror group carried out on October 7th 2023.
Arguing strongly in favour of the UK government announcing its recognition of Palestinian statehood now, the chair of the House of Commons foreign affairs select committee said:”It’s not as though before October 7th the situation was one that was in any way sustainable.”
The Labour MP appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, where she argued:”“If we recognise a Palestinian state, I think we show ourselves to be a country that wants to be involved, that wants to be an honest broker, that wants to be a force for good, and we think a way forward is two states and we’ve always thought that.”
She added:”“Too many people have been killed, there has to be peace. Peace can only be achieved through political conversation, through negotiations. We cannot allow the status quo to continue.”
But she was pressed on the fact that the Israeli government, and other critics of the UK recognising a state now have argued that such a move would be a “prize” for terrorism and a boost for Hamas in the aftermath of October 7th by proving a “clear link” to the impact of those attacks.
Thornberry claimed:”There’s not a clear link. What there is, is a terrible conflict going on. Too many people have been killed. ”
She said the push for recognition of a Palestinian state was “on many people’s agenda” before October 7th but that it “wasn’t sufficiently high up the international agenda as it needs to be now because people are dying and unless there’s a ceasefire and a long term political solution it’s going to continue.”
“The only way through this is for there to be an Israeli state that is safe and secure, alongside a Palestinian state that is recognised,” added Thornberry.
Later this month, France and Saudi Arabia are co-chairing an international conference at the UN in New York where they are expected to announce recognition of Palestine. A previous conference, at which the UK was meant to attend, with France and the Saudis was postponed due to the outbreak of the war with Iran.
While the Foreign Office and many Labour MPs are in favour of recognition, Keir Starmer is believed to be more cautious about when to do this.
Recognition alone would not solve the conflict, Thornberry accepted, but it could give the issue political momentum.
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