More than 200 legislators in the United Kingdom have called on the British government to recognize a Palestinian state, while pressure is put to Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take concrete measures in the midst of the War of Israel against Gaza.
Friday, some 221 deputies from all over the political spectrum signed an open letter calling for the starmer’s labor government to recognize a Palestinian state before a United Nations conference on Palestine next week.
“We expect the outcome of the conference to be the British government describing when and how it will act on its long -standing commitment on a two -state solution; as well as the way it will work with international partners to make it a reality,” said the letter.
“Although we appreciate that the United Kingdom is not in its power to cause a free and independent Palestine, recognition of the United Kingdom would have a significant impact because of our historical relations and our membership in the United Nations Security Council, we therefore urge you to take this stage.”
The parliamentarians of nine political parties were part of the signatories, said Labor MP Sarah, including work, conservatives, liberal democrats, SNP and Greens.
The letter comes as public anger increases in the United Kingdom and all over the world of bombing and the continuous blocking of Israel of the Gaza Strip, which stimulated a deadly famine crisis.
221 deputies, of 9 parties, sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs urging them to recognize Palestine as a state now pic.twitter.com/b2hbx2xcgr
– Sarah Champion (@sarahchampionmp) July 25, 2025
This also occurs one day after the French president Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognize the state of Palestine to the UN in September.
“In accordance with his historical commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I decided that France will recognize the state of Palestine,” said Macron in an article on social networks on Thursday.
“I will make this solemn announcement before the United Nations General Assembly next September. The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and relieve the civilian population. ”
Macron’s announcement has attracted the anger of Israeli leaders, notably Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said that this decision “rewards terror”.
But Netanyahu faced a generalized conviction for the continuous assault of Israel against Gaza, which has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians since its beginning in October 2023.
The Enclave’s blockade of Israel caused an in -depth humanitarian crisis, the United Nations and the best human rights groups reporting that many Palestinian children are now suffering from serious malnutrition and at risk of death.
Friday, Starmer said that “the appalling scenes of Gaza are relentless”.
“The continuous captivity of hostages, famine and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the growing violence of groups of extremist settlers and the disproportionate military climbing of Israel in Gaza are all uncommunicable,” he said.
But Starmer ceased to announce plans to recognize a Palestinian state, saying rather that it worked “on a path to peace in the region”.
“This path will set out the concrete stages necessary to transform the ceasefire so desperately necessary, into lasting peace,” he said.
“Recognition of a Palestinian state must be one of these steps. I am unequivocally on this subject. But this must be part of a broader plan which results in a solution to two states and sustainable security for the Palestinians and the Israelis. ”
Friday afternoon of a demonstration outside the residence of Starmer, in London, Milena Veselinovic of Tel Aviv Tribune declared that the demonstrators expressed “the indignation” in the position of the British government in the middle of the disastrous situation in Gaza.
“Many of them feel helpless, so one of the only things they can do is to meet here, to make as much noise as possible and to hope that this will be noticed by people in power,” she said.
“They want Keir Starmer to do more with the power he has, and with the influence he has, to put an end to this.”
In addition to recognizing a Palestinian state, the British government has faced growing calls to sanction Israel and impose an embargo on arms against the country.
Veselinovic said Starmer is in “a difficult diplomatic situation” while he is preparing to meet US President Donald Trump, who went to Scotland on Friday.
She explained that Macron’s announcement added pressure on the United Kingdom, which is a close ally of France and the United States, to also recognize a Palestinian state, but noted that Trump had criticized the decision of the French president.
“It seems that a gulf emerges here on what the European position is generally, which is much more aligned with what the UN help agencies say take place on the field in Gaza, and the American position, which seems to be almost 100%, which is the version of the events of the Israeli government,” she said.
“And in the midst of this is Keir Starmer, who wants to maintain good relations with both parties.”
