The British Prime Minister made it clear that given the intolerable situation in Gaza and the increasingly remote prospect of a peace process, this was the right time to pursue this position.

LONDON – Starmer has declared that recognition of a Palestinian state will take place in September if there is no ceasefire in Gaza. The British Prime Minister also clarified that the time to recognize Palestine is now. Adding that given the increasingly intolerable situation in Gaza and the increasingly remote prospect of a peace process leading to a two-state solution, a Downing Street spokesperson said this was the right time to pursue this position.

Shortly before these statements, the New York Times had anticipated that the British Prime Minister was considering recognizing the Palestinian state. According to the newspaper, the change of position was due to increased internal political pressure due to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The position was announced by Starmer during a cabinet meeting convened today despite the summer recess to discuss a new plan for peace in the Middle East .  In front of Downing Street, awaiting the announcement, hundreds of people gathered armed with pots, pans, ladles and spoons, which they banged insistently in protest against hunger in Gaza. A spokesperson stressed that this is a British plan that the Prime Minister has discussed with allies France and Germany – the so-called E3 – and that Starmer outlined to Donald Trump during his meeting with the US president in Scotland yesterday.

Among the priorities is to act as quickly as possible to alleviate the unacceptable and disgusting humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to lay the foundations for a sustainable and lasting peace. Foreign Secretary David Lammy will outline the British position today in New York at the United Nations conference promoting the two-state solution, co-sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia.

Starmer is weighed down by parliament's push to recognize the Palestinian state, which the prime minister himself has defined as an inalienable right. Starmer has never doubted recognizing Palestine, but he wants to choose the right moment to achieve lasting results, which apparently have arrived. Meanwhile, 225 MPs have signed the letter in which the House of Commons urges the prime minister to achieve recognition quickly, emphasizing that a British pronouncement would be an important step towards the two-state solution. This represents more than a third of the lower house of parliament: among the signatories are many of the ministers who are meeting Starmer today, some in person, some remotely.