The UK is expected to formally recognise Palestine this weekend – The Mirror explores the complex history of Palestinian statehood and what it could mean if UK recognition happens
The UK is expected to formally recognise Palestine within the next 48 hours as Israel is set to fail to meet conditions set by the Government.
Keir Starmer had told Israel it must take “substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza” by September, or else he would progress with formally recognising Palestine. But earlier this week a ground offensive was launched in Gaza City and a UN-commissioned inquiry said Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in the war-torn enclave.
Reports have suggested the head of the Palestinian mission in the UK, Husam Zomlot, is expected to unveil the Palestinian flag at its embassy on Monday.
Recognition of Palestine is set to be a major moment in the UK – here’s everything you need to know.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer says UK prepared to recognise Palestine in weeks in warning to Israel
What is the history of Palestinian recognition?
While Palestine is internationally recognised in some ways – such as in diplomatic missions and at sporting competitions like the Olympics – it does not have internationally agreed boundaries, a capital or an army. And there is a long and complicated history to the Middle Eastern region.
Britain took control of the area known as Palestine in WWI after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire. In 1917 the Balfour Declaration stated Britain’s official approval of Palestine as “a national home for the Jewish people”. The pledge deepened tensions between the Jewish and Arab populations, with both groups claiming historical links to the region.
In the following two decades, increasing numbers of Jewish people arrived there, including after the Holocaust. In 1948, the UN voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish and Arab states. British rule ended and Israel was created.
READ MORE: Holocaust survivors’ desperate plea to stop starvation as Gaza famine declared
Conflict and instability followed over the next 20 years. In 1967, the Six-Day War saw Israel capture territory and a million Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, which then came under Israel’s control. These areas are still occupied by Israel today and are known as the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Describing Israel’s occupation, Amnesty International says the country’s “ruthless policies of land confiscation, illegal settlement and dispossession, coupled with rampant institutionalized discrimination, have inflicted immense suffering on Palestinians, depriving them of their basic rights”.
Why have calls for recognition increased more recently?
On October 7, 2023, Palestinian militant group Hamas – which the UK has designated as a terrorist organisation – launched a deadly attack on Israel, killing more than 1,100 people and taking hundreds of people hostage. The attack sparked global condemnation, with the UK strongly supporting Israel’s right to defend herself in response.
Following the horrific attack at a music festival, Israel launched a brutal military offensive in Gaza. Since then, more than 60,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Earlier this month, charity Save the Children said more than 20,000 have been killed.
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Israel’s ongoing offensive has caused an outcry from international leaders. In July, UN-backed experts said “the worst-case scenario of famine” was currently playing out in Gaza and warned of “widespread death” without urgent action. And a UN-commissioned inquiry this week said Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians.
Over the summer, the PM faced a surge in pressure to recognise Palestine, with more than 250 MPs from across the Commons having signed a letter calling on the government to recognise a Palestinian state immediately. It also followed French President Emmanuel Macron pledging to recognise the state.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting was among senior figures in Government to call for the UK to do the same, urging Palestine to be recognised “while there is still a state of Palestine left to recognise”.
When did Starmer decide to recognise Palestine?
Labour’s election manifesto pledged to recognise Palestine. It said: “Palestinian statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. It is not in the gift of any neighbour and is also essential to the long-term security of Israel.
“We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to a renewed peace process which results in a two-state solution with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.”
Since then, Downing Street has long said it is prepared to recognise Palestine “at the moment of maximum impact”. Officials said they didn’t want the decision to be wasted as a gesture.
Following increased demands to take action, at the end of July, the PM announced that the UK was prepared to recognise the state of Palestine in September unless Israel meets certain conditions. These include agreeing to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, committing to a long-term sustainable peace and reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.
In a statement from Downing Street at the time, the Prime Minister said the Palestinian people have “endured terrible suffering” with “catastrophic failure of aid”. He added: “We see starving babies, children too weak to stand, images that will stay with us for a lifetime. The suffering must end.”
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What does it mean for international diplomacy?
The move has notably set the UK apart from the US, with Donald Trump having made clear he does not plan to recognise Palestine. At a joint press conference with Mr Starmer yesterday, the US President said there was a “disagreement with the Prime Minister on that score” when asked about No10’s plans.
Mr Trump said he wants the fighting to stop and for Hamas to release the hostages taken on October 7, 2023 – but does not agree with recognising Palestine.
Mr Starmer said Hamas “can have no part in any future governance in Palestine”. But he said recognition needs to be seen as “part of that overall package which hopefully takes us from the appalling situation we’re in now to the outcome of a safe and secure Israel, which we do not have, and a viable Palestinian state”.
In recognising Palestine, the UK will join Ireland, Spain and Norway, who all did so last year, while France is also expected to take the step this month. As of the summer, Palestine was recognised by 147 of the UN’s 193 member states.
If the UK and France both progress with their plans, Palestine will be recognised by four of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members. The other two that have already recognised it as a state are China and Russia, who both did so in 1988. The US is the final member in that group.
What does it mean for the Middle East conflict?
The UK’s move to recognise Palestine mounts diplomatic pressure on Israel to end its military offensive and engage in a peace process.
But it is of huge significance that the US does not agree with recognising it as a state. The US is Israel’s biggest ally in its war against Gaza and while PM Benjamin Netanyahu still has Mr Trump on side, the UK is limited in how much power it can wield to end the war.
The US President yesterday insisted he wants to stop the fighting. But his proposed solutions have previously sparked widespread criticism. In February, he suggested that people living in Gaza could be permanently relocated to neighbouring countries and that the US could take control of the territory to transform it into “the Riviera of the Middle East”.
Similarly, Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected the possibility of a two-state solution. In August, Israel’s security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, which the UN said would risk “catastrophic consequences” for Palestinian civilians.
Israel has appeared unfazed by the threat of the UK’s recognition of Palestine as it has not made moves to meet Mr Starmer’s conditions to avoid it happening, which included agreeing to a ceasefire by September. Instead, it has shown it is intent on continuing its devastating attacks on Gaza, with a ground offensive launched this week.
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