UK in Talks with France and Saudi Arabia over Palestinian State Recognition
The United Kingdom is currently engaged in discussions with France and Saudi Arabia regarding the potential recognition of a Palestinian state at a United Nations conference scheduled for June, according to a report by the Financial Times (FT).
In a statement, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasised that the UK’s preference is for recognition to be part of a broader movement towards a two-state solution to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian crisis, rather than a symbolic gesture. This approach is shared by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has suggested that France could use the UN conference to recognise a Palestinian state.
The UN conference, set to be chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aims to establish a global alliance to push for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. The FT reports that Lammy, speaking to a committee in the House of Lords, stated that the Labour government would prefer recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a movement towards a two-state solution to the crisis.
"It’s unacceptable for any group of people to have lived without a state for longer than I’ve been alive," Lammy said, as quoted by the FT. "The only option is two states and we will continue working with partners . . . particularly with France as we head towards their conference in New York, alongside the Saudi Arabians . . . to ensure we keep alive two states."
While Lammy acknowledged that some countries have recognised a Palestinian state as a symbolic act, he expressed concerns that such a move may not necessarily lead to significant changes on the ground. "I recognise there are some who see this as symbolic, and there are countries in Europe that have taken this step recently . . . Did it change much on the ground? The sad conclusion is it didn’t, and so we have always said recognition is not the end in [and] of itself, two states is the end," he said.
The FT notes that most UN members already recognise a Palestinian state, with several European countries, including Spain, Ireland, and Norway, formally recognising it last year. However, the recognition by two European permanent members of the UN Security Council would be considered a more significant boost to the Palestinians.
Diplomats, as cited by the FT, highlight the challenge of deciding when to use recognition most effectively as a point of leverage with both the Palestinians and Israel, and whether it should be done unconditionally or when certain terms have been met.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government has repeatedly ruled out any steps towards a two-state solution or concessions towards the Palestinians. The FT reports that Netanyahu has been emboldened by the re-election of Donald Trump, who has called for Gaza to be emptied of Palestinians, taken over by the US, and turned into the "Riviera of the Middle East".
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in significant humanitarian concerns, with Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza killing more than 52,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials, and reducing much of the territory to rubble-strewn wastelands.
As reported by the FT, Western and Arab states have been grappling with how to end the crisis since the war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people.
According to the FT, "The challenge is deciding when to use recognition most effectively as a point of leverage with both the Palestinians and Israel, and whether it be done unconditionally or when certain terms have been met."
The FT quotes Lammy as saying, "We will continue to talk to partners about that; President Macron has had a lot to say about that most recently, alongside the Saudis."
The publication also states that "Lammy also sounded a note of caution" regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state.
The article from the Financial Times (FT) highlights the complexities surrounding the recognition of a Palestinian state and the efforts of the international community to find a sustainable resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.
The FT’s report is available online: https://www.ft.com/content/2e76d005-141f-4d64-b2b6-a066cf536516.
