UK Labour MPs urge government to recognize Palestine
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The demand by more than 70 Labour MPs and peers aligns with the potential French recognition at an upcoming summit.
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Labour Party leader Keir Starmer with his wife Victoria make their way through supporters as they arrive at the count for the Holborn and St Pancras Parliamentary constituency where Starmer is standing for election, in London, Friday, July 5, 2024 (AP)
More than 70 Labour MPs and peers have signed a letter urging Labour leader Keir Starmer to officially recognize Palestinian statehood, aligning with growing international calls to take decisive steps toward a "two-state solution".
The letter, obtained by Politico, was organized by Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East chairs Andrew Pakes and Sarah Owen and was signed by 69 Labour MPs and six peers from across the party, calling on Starmer to act in coordination with France ahead of a major international summit next month.
The letter urges Starmer to seize what it calls a "unique window of opportunity" by joining French President Emmanuel Macron in pushing forward Palestinian recognition during the summit scheduled for June.
On Macron's footsteps
Macron, following a visit to Egypt and coordination with Saudi officials, has signaled France’s willingness to take the lead on this issue, possibly becoming the first G7 country to formally recognize Palestine.
The move is seen as an attempt to create momentum and encourage other countries, including those that currently withhold recognition of "Israel", to reconsider their positions as part of a wider diplomatic strategy
While the UK government has maintained that it will recognize Palestine only when it contributes effectively to the peace process, the growing number of recognitions by countries such as Spain, Norway, and Ireland has placed added pressure on British leadership.
The Labour letter suggests that coordinated action at this stage could shift the diplomatic balance and place the UK at the heart of a renewed global push for a just resolution.
A shift in UK's position
Responding to questions in the House of Lords this month, Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that Britain’s recognition of Palestine must be tied to real impact rather than symbolic value.
He noted that while over 160 countries already recognize Palestine, recent recognitions in Europe have not yet led to meaningful changes on the ground, adding that no state could dictate Britain’s timing, but recognition should support the broader process of a "two-state solution" rather than act as an isolated gesture.
Macron’s positioning, reportedly in tandem with the Saudis, is seen as an attempt to shape an international framework that could also influence normalization efforts with "Israel".
