Britain recognised the Palestinian state 108 years after the Balfour Declaration and 77 years after the creation of Israel.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the historic decision of the United Kingdom (UK) on Sunday. “Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine,” he announced on X.
In a related major development, Australia and Canada have also recognised the Palestinian statehood.
Muslim world is taking it as a huge shift in the West policy and a key move toward the two-state solution. The Palestinian Authority called it an important message, which its said, proved that Israel has no sovereignty on Palestinian territories.
Starmer made the announcement two days after the conclusion of the US President Donald Trump‘s historic visit to his country. Trump had shown the disagreement over the supposed plan of the UK. During the final press conference with the British PM, Trump said: “I have disagreement with the prime minister on that score.” He was replying to the journalist query about the Starmer’s supposed move to recognise Palestine. The UK government has been calling for Gaza ceasefire for months, along with outlining its plan to formally acknowledge Palestine.
UNGA Session and Gaza Crisis:
Analysts believe the announcements by the three western nations two-day ahead of the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) 80th session carry key significance. The session will discuss in detail the crisis in Gaza and issue of Palestine’s sovereignty.
The UK PM has announced that his government will sanction senior figures in the Hamas leadership in the coming weeks. He made it clear that the Hamas would have no role in the future of Palestine. Starmer believes the decision of the UK would not boost Hamas confidence. He dubbed the group as a brutal terrorist organisation. Hamas, he said in a video message posted on X, wanted to see Israel destroyed. The prime minister said Hamas is having exact opposite hateful vision to the two-state solution of Palestine issue.
Balfour Declaration:
Named after Arthur Balfour, the Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government on November 9, 1917. The statement, in form of a letter (dated Nov 2, 1917) to Lionel Walter Rothschild, pledged support for the creation of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Mr Balfour was then serving as British secretary while Rothschild was a British banker, politician and Zionist leader. Palestine was then part of Ottoman territory which collapsed after the first world war.
