The UK’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood helped to bring about the ceasefire deal in Gaza, Sir Keir Starmer has told MPs.
But he said the UK had been in a position to work “behind the scenes” for a ceasefire “precisely because of the approach this government takes,” including its recognition of a Palestinian state.
“So we are fully committed to this [deal] because a safe and secure Israel, alongside a viable Palestinian state, is the only way to secure lasting peace for the Middle East,” he told MPs.
The PM also claimed that the UK’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood had aided the cause of peace.
At the time, the US voiced strong opposition to the UK and other countries recognising Palestinian statehood, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Hamas would “feel more emboldened” by the move.
Sir Keir Starmer has told MPs that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza was facilitated by the UK’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Speaking to MPs following a summit in Egypt, the prime minister emphasized that US President Donald Trump owned the agreement signed there, saying, “This is his deal.”. “..”.
However, he claimed that “this government’s approach,” which includes its recognition of a Palestinian state, has allowed the UK to work “behind the scenes” for a ceasefire.
According to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, the PM is “diminishing” UK influence in the Middle East by recognizing Palestine without imposing any conditions on the release of hostages.
During his tribute to the hostages and civilians killed in Gaza, Sir Keir told MPs that Monday’s agreement offered “a moment of profound relief.”.
However, he emphasized that putting the peace plan into action “is no small challenge” and that “making that peace last will be no less difficult a task.”.
Phase two of the agreement, which calls for Hamas to lay down its weapons—a demand the group is said to have rejected—and rebuild Gaza under a “peace board” led by Trump and possibly comprising former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair will now be negotiated.
Sir Keir stated that the UK was prepared to use its knowledge and diplomacy to aid in the reconstruction of Gaza, whose destruction “defies description.”.
He also stated that the UK will contribute an extra £20 million in humanitarian aid to supply “water, sanitation and hygiene products” to the people living in the region.
The prime minister stated that the UK would assist with the ceasefire monitoring process, but there are no plans to send British troops to join the multinational force that will oversee the truce.
He added that the UK could “play a full role” in the decommissioning of Hamas’s weapons and capabilities by using its knowledge of Northern Ireland.
The prime minister told lawmakers that the agreement was the “first real chance we’ve had” for a two-state solution since the Oslo Accords of 1993, which intended to give Palestine temporary self-government as a prelude to an independent state.
“We are totally committed to this [deal] because the only way to ensure enduring peace for the Middle East is to have a safe and secure Israel in addition to a viable Palestinian state,” he told lawmakers.
Additionally, the prime minister asserted that the UK’s recognition of Palestinian statehood had benefited the peace movement.
For the first time, the entire Arab League condemned the October 7 atrocities, called for Hamas to disarm, and, most importantly, demanded that they end their rule in Gaza. This action, along with that of our allies France, Canada, Australia, and others, helped lead to the historic New York declaration, he told MPs. “.
The prime minister was accused by Kemi Badenoch of “taking the wrong decisions time and time again, diminishing our influence in” the United Arab Emirates.
She told lawmakers, “It’s quite clear that UK relations with Israel have been strained by the actions of this government,” to the Labour benches’ cries of “shame.”.
The Conservative leader went on to say: “Labour chose to recognise a state of Palestine without any conditions to free the hostages still being held in the Gaza tunnels, rewarding terrorism in a move that Hamas applauded. “,”.
At the time, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Hamas would “feel more emboldened” by the move, expressing the US’s strong opposition to the UK and other nations recognizing Palestinian statehood.
