Foreign Secretary David Lammy will tell MPs on Monday that the UK still intends to recognise a Palestinian state in September, as Israel has shown no sign of meeting the government's demands. In a Commons statement, Lammy will confirm that officials will carry out a formal assessment in the coming days of whether Israel has complied with the tests set out by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
However, with Benjamin Netanyahu's government hardening its position on Gaza and the West Bank, Lammy will state that Britain still plans to recognise Palestine. A UK official said: “We will assess all the factors relevant to recognition, but as things stand we’re on a pathway to recognition later in September.”
Starmer said earlier in August that the UK would recognise Palestine before the UN General Assembly, which starts on 9 September, unless Israel met preconditions including taking “substantive steps” to end the war in Gaza, agreeing a ceasefire, and committing not to annex parts of the West Bank. Far from meeting these demands, Netanyahu has shown signs of violating them further, with reports that Israel is considering annexation in the West Bank if France, the UK, and other countries proceed with recognition.
The Foreign Office has just over a week to complete its formal assessment. Senior officials say the timing is driven less by that process and more by diplomatic concerns to act in concert with France, which intends to recognise Palestine at the UN meeting. Lammy also described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as a “man-made catastrophe” caused by Israel's refusal to allow aid deliveries, with a UN panel declaring famine conditions affecting over half a million people.
The government announced an extra £3 million to provide midwives and emergency medical supplies for new mothers in Gaza, but stressed the aid would only reach those in need if Israel allows greater humanitarian access. Lammy said: “This funding can only have maximum impact if the government of Israel allows it. Israel must ensure protection of civilians including healthcare staff and health infrastructure, and enable the delivery of life-saving medicines, medical equipment and healthcare supplies into Gaza.”
