London’s Ambiguous Stance on Recognizing the Independent State of Palestine
According to the English section of webangah news Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Reuters, David Lammy, the UK Deputy Prime minister, stated that the decision to recognize an independent Palestinian state cannot result in its establishment ”overnight.” He emphasized that recognition must be part of a broader peace process.
Lammy told Sky News that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will decide later today (Sunday) on recognizing Palestine. He added that any such move aims to keep alive the prospects for a two-state solution.
In July, Starmer said London would recognize Palestine unless Israel reaches a ceasefire agreement wiht Hamas, allows increased aid into Gaza, clearly states it will not annex the West bank, and commits to a peace process leading to a two-state solution.
Referring to continued Israeli settlement expansion, Lammy said: “The reality is that since that statement (Starmer’s remarks in July), given the attack against Qatar, achieving a ceasefire at this time seems unlikely and prospects remain bleak.”
