Overview
- On July 29, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will grant conditional recognition of a Palestinian state ahead of September’s UN session subject to a Gaza ceasefire, release of hostages, Hamas disarmament, exclusion from Gaza governance and a UN guarantee against West Bank annexation
- France and Malta have made similar pledges to recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly, positioning the UK as the second G7 nation to adopt this diplomatic shift
- The policy reversal responds to mounting concerns over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and follows calls from more than 200 Labour MPs demanding immediate recognition
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the announcement as rewarding Hamas, while President Trump’s earlier comments of tacit support were later denied by his office
- The UK government plans to assess the fulfillment of its conditions in September before making a final decision on full recognition