UK PM faces growing pressure to accelerate recognition of Palestinian state

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure from senior cabinet members and over a third of Parliament to accelerate the formal recognition of a Palestinian state, as international condemnation intensifies over Israel’s restriction of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper are among the top ministers said to support a proactive stance on recognising Palestine — potentially in coordination with France, which has already announced its intention to act at the United Nations General Assembly in September, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media.

Calls for action have grown louder as aid agencies report alarming conditions in Gaza, particularly in Gaza City, where cases of severe malnutrition among children under five have tripled in the past two weeks. The UK, France, and Germany jointly declared on Friday that the worsening “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza must end immediately. In their statement, the three countries urged Israel to lift restrictions on aid flows, stating: “Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable.”

Following a call with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Starmer said the situation in Gaza was indefensible. He cited the continued captivity of hostages, widespread hunger, blocked humanitarian access, violent settler attacks, and what he described as Israel’s “disproportionate military escalation” as all contributing to the worsening crisis.

While reaffirming his commitment to recognising a Palestinian state, Starmer insisted that such a step must be embedded within a broader diplomatic framework. “Recognition must be part of a wider plan that ultimately delivers a two-state solution and lasting security for both Palestinians and Israelis,” he said. “That is how we ensure recognition becomes a tool of maximum utility to improve the lives of those who are suffering, which is, of course, our ultimate goal.”

The prime minister’s remarks came as US President Donald Trump arrived in Scotland for a four-day visit, during which he is scheduled to meet with Starmer on Monday. Trump dismissed Macron’s recognition plans on July 25, calling them symbolic and ineffective: “It doesn’t carry weight” and “is not going to change anything,” he said.

The UK’s current policy states that it will recognise Palestinian statehood when it contributes meaningfully to peace negotiations, ideally in alignment with other Western powers and “at the point of maximum impact.”

However, pressure continues to build. On July 25, a cross-party coalition of 221 Members of Parliament from nine political parties signed a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy urging the government to announce recognition of Palestine during the upcoming UN conference in New York.

“While we acknowledge that the UK alone cannot bring about a free and independent Palestine, our recognition would still carry significant weight due to Britain’s historical ties and its position as a permanent member of the UN Security Council,” the MPs wrote.

By Tamilla Hasanova