Britain will declare recognition of Palestine as an independent state in September unless Israel takes “significant steps” to end the “appalling situation” in the Gaza Strip, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on 29 July.
According to Starmer, Israel must reach a ceasefire agreement and also “make clear” that it has no intention of annexing the West Bank and remains committed to a peace process based on the “two states for two peoples” formula.
Starmer emphasised that London does not equate Israel and Hamas and that the UK’s demands to the group (it is considered a terrorist group by the EU, the US and the UK) remain unchanged: Hamas must release all hostages, agree to a ceasefire, disarm and agree that it will no longer govern Gaza.
The regular session of the UN General Assembly will open in September. On 24 July, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that at this session Paris will formally announce the recognition of Palestine as an independent state.
On 23 July, the Israeli Parliament adopted a resolution in support of the annexation of the West Bank of the Jordan River. This document is declaratory in nature, the Israeli government has not announced its intention to annex this territory.
Now Palestine is recognised as an independent state by more than 140 countries. Among them are Ukraine, China, India, Spain, Brazil and others. The United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, Israel, among others, do not recognise Palestine’s independence.