As part of the peace process, UK Labour leader Starmer seeks to recognize the state of Palestine

In the event that he wins the next general election, British opposition leader Keir Starmer stated on Friday that he would like to recognize a state for the Palestinian people, but added that this recognition would need to occur at the appropriate stage of a peace process.

Israel reacted angrily to the announcement this week that Ireland, Spain, and Norway will recognize a Palestinian state on May 28. It claimed this was a “reward for terrorism” and withdrew its ambassadors from the three capitals.

Since Hamas’ strike on October 7 that sparked Israel’s invasion of Gaza, the Labour Party has been embroiled in an internal conflict on its stance on the conflict.
Some traditional Labour supporters have criticized Starmer for the party’s slow progress in changing its stance in favor of a Gaza ceasefire.

Ten top party lawmakers resigned from their policy positions as a result of the party’s stance, which was also held accountable for a few unsatisfactory local election results this month in some places with sizable Muslim communities.

“Yes, I do, and I think recognition of Palestine is extremely important,” Starmer said to a question on whether he believed Palestine should be a state on the BBC. Alongside a safe and secure Israel, we need a viable Palestinian state, and recognition is a necessary component of that.”

Starmer asserted that a two-state solution was necessary for long-term peace in the region and that recognition of a Palestinian state would need to occur at the appropriate moment in a peace process.

The peace process has languished for years, but the two-state solution has long served as the cornerstone of British foreign policy and international efforts to end the conflict.

Other major European powers like France and Germany, as well as the present Conservative administration, have expressed support for a Palestinian state in theory, but with the understanding that the timing of recognition would need to fit into a larger peace process.

Labour caused a rift with the ruling Conservative Party this week by supporting the ICC’s independence when it requested arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas officials for war crimes.

The Conservative administration claimed that the ICC lacked the authority to seek the arrest warrants and that doing so would not result in a durable peace, the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza, or the delivery of humanitarian goods.