British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to unveil his most detailed plan yet this week for officially recognizing Palestine as an independent state — a move aimed at easing growing pressure from within his ruling Labour Party. According to sources cited by The Telegraph, Starmer will present his proposals to the British public in a public “moment,” likely a speech or press conference, outlining the conditions necessary for recognition and the UK’s efforts to improve aid delivery to Gaza.
اضافة اعلان
Conditional Recognition Sparks Labour Division
The recognition is expected to remain conditional on a ceasefire and possibly the release of remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas, The Telegraph reported.
However, this conditional stance may fall short of the demands of roughly one-third of Labour MPs and some Cabinet members, including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who are pushing for immediate recognition of Palestine.
A total of 135 Labour MPs signed a letter on Friday calling for recognition, with Labour mayors and Scottish party leaders also joining the pressure campaign.
One Labour MP expressed concern to The Telegraph, saying:
“Millions of voters are deeply concerned about Gaza. I believe the government is in deep trouble on this issue.”
Macron's Initiative and Diverging International Positions
In a related European development, French President Emmanuel Macron became the first G7 leader last week to announce his intention to recognize Palestine, with the formal move expected to take place during the UN General Assembly in September. Macron’s decision came after weeks of private discussions with the UK and other allies on the timing and nature of the announcement.
Macron defended his stance by stating that recognition alone could jumpstart progress toward peace — a view long at odds with the British position, which has tied recognition to tangible shifts in Hamas’ conduct, according to The Telegraph.
U.S. Reactions Mixed as Trump Leaves Room for UK Shift
American reactions have been mixed. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week dismissed Macron’s move as aiding “Hamas propaganda,” while a State Department spokesperson described a planned UN conference on Palestinian recognition as “a propaganda show in the midst of delicate diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.”
Yet on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to leave the door open for a British policy shift, stating that Prime Minister Starmer was free to take “a new stance.”
Still, Downing Street is expected to carefully gauge Washington’s response before making any final declarations, The Telegraph noted.
Gaza Famine Crisis Fuels British Debate
Images of malnourished children in Gaza — widely circulated in the media due to Israeli restrictions on aid access — have reignited the recognition debate in the UK.
During a meeting with Trump in Scotland on Monday, Starmer expressed his personal and national outrage:
“Certainly, on behalf of the British public and myself, those images — especially of starving children — are horrifying. The British public is appalled by what they are seeing.”
Trump, for his part, publicly urged Israel to do more to facilitate food deliveries to Palestinians, acknowledging a “real famine” in Gaza and pledging U.S. support for establishing open access points for humanitarian aid.
Preparations and Next Steps
According to The Telegraph, Starmer has recalled the Cabinet from summer recess for a Tuesday 2:00 PM meeting focused on Gaza — likely covering the UK’s approach to statehood and aid escalation.
He is also involved in Jordan-led talks on potential airdrops of humanitarian aid to help alleviate Gaza’s nutritional crisis.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister stated that the upcoming plan would “build on the cooperation so far, laying the groundwork for a long-term solution to regional security.”
In recent days, Starmer has sharpened his tone on the issue. On Thursday, he declared that Palestinians have “a clear and natural right” to their own state, and on Friday he emphasized that he is “firm and clear” in his belief that recognizing a Palestinian state is essential for achieving “lasting peace” in the region.
Notably, around 150 UN member states — about three-quarters of the global total — have already recognized Palestine. However, the UK, the U.S., and Europe’s largest economies have yet to do so.
