LONDON: More than 220 members of the UK Parliament from nine different political parties, including dozens from the Labour Party, have formally requested Prime Minister Keir Starmer to officially recognize Palestine. This move comes as pressure on Starmer to take this step has intensified. The letter was published less than 24 hours after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognize Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September. If this promise is fulfilled, France would become the first G7 member and the most powerful European country to take such action. The representatives emphasized in the letter the historical role of Britain, including the issuance of the Balfour Declaration and its long-standing support for a two-state solution. They stated that recognizing Palestine by Britain would send a “strong message” to the international community and could help facilitate a return to an independent two-state solution. While France and Saudi Arabia are set to host a three-day conference at the UN to support the independent two-state solution, the UK Prime Minister has indicated in discussions with French and German leaders that he is not yet inclined to follow this path. This issue arises amid increasing public protests in the UK advocating for support of the people of Gaza and pressing the government to recognize Palestine.
