Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that the United Kingdom will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, allows humanitarian aid access, and takes substantive steps toward a two-state solution.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza and takes steps toward long-term peace. The announcement came following a rare summertime Cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza, highlighting the urgency with which the government views the current crisis.
Conditions for avoiding recognition
The U.K. will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, allows the U.N. to bring in aid and takes other steps toward long-term peace, according to the Prime Minister’s statement. The conditions reflect growing international pressure on Israel to end its military operations in Gaza and facilitate humanitarian assistance.
The ultimatum represents a significant shift in British foreign policy, which has traditionally maintained that Palestinian statehood should emerge through negotiated settlement rather than unilateral recognition. Britain has long supported the idea of an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, but has said recognition should come as part of a negotiated two-state solution.
Parliamentary pressure and timing
The decision follows sustained pressure from Labour MPs, with Labour MP Sarah Champion, who organised the letter to Starmer, saying there will never be a perfect moment to recognise Palestinian statehood, but warning this might be the last chance. Champion warned that “What we do have, however, is the perfect storm to prevent a two-state solution ever happening”.
The September deadline appears designed to coincide with the United Nations General Assembly session, when such recognition would carry maximum diplomatic weight. The timing also reflects the government’s assessment that the current trajectory in Gaza makes urgent intervention necessary.
International implications
The announcement positions the UK alongside other European nations that have moved toward Palestinian recognition in recent months. The move could influence broader international opinion and potentially encourage other allies to adopt similar positions.
Starmer’s ultimatum comes as global anger mounts over the war in the Palestinian territory, with the UK demanding “an immediate ceasefire to stop” the ongoing violence. The decision represents one of the most significant foreign policy announcements of Starmer’s tenure as Prime Minister.
REFH – Newshub, 30 July 2025
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