London: Senior Conservative MPs and Lords Urge Recognition of Palestinian State

London (Quds News Network)- More than a dozen senior Conservative MPs and Lords have written to the Prime Minister calling for the UK to immediately recognise Palestine as a state.

Seven MPs and six members of the House of Lords have signed the letter to Keir Starmer urging him to defy the Israeli occupation government and give formal recognition to Palestine in advance of key UN talks next month.

The letter, which has been seen by the Guardian, was written in late March soon after Israel violated the Gaza ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

On Monday, the Israeli cabinet went one step further, approving plans to expand the assault, “conquer” the Gaza Strip and occupy most if not all of it.

In the letter, which was organised by the former minister Kit Malthouse, the group writes: “For decades, the Palestinian people have endured occupation, displacement and systemic restrictions on their basic freedoms.

“Recognising Palestine would affirm our nation’s commitment to upholding the principles of justice, self-determination and equal rights. It would send a clear message that Britain stands against indefinite occupation and supports the Palestinian people’s legitimate aspirations.”

The letter continues: “Recognition should not be treated as a distant bargaining chip but as a necessary step to reinforce international law and diplomacy. Prime minister, we stand ready to offer our public support for this decision.”

“This is an opportunity for Britain to show leadership, to be on the right side of history and to uphold the principles we claim to champion. More than 140 UN member states have already recognised Palestine – it is time for the United Kingdom to do the same.”

The letter was signed by several on the moderate wing of the party such as Malthouse himself, the father of the house, Edward Leigh, and Simon Hoare.

But it was also signed by several more associated with the right, including John Hayes and Desmond Swayne. Members of the Lords including Hugo Swire, Nicholas Soames and Patricia Morris, the party’s deputy speaker in the upper chamber, also signed.

France and Saudi Arabia will co-host a conference next month designed to boost support for a two-state solution, at which the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has suggested France may grant formal recognition for the first time.

David Cameron, the former prime minister and foreign secretary, made a key concession last year when he said he wanted to see Palestine recognised as part of peace negotiations with Israel, rather than at the end of them.

A Conservative spokesperson said: “Our longstanding position has been that we will recognise a Palestinian state at a time that is most conducive to the peace process. We are not at that point now and we are clear that recognition cannot be the start of the process.”

Starmer has used similar language, with the British government keen not to get too far ahead of the US. But David Lammy, the foreign secretary, said last week the government was in talks with France about its plans for next month.

“We have always said recognition is not the end in itself, two states is the end in itself,” he said. “We would prefer recognition as part of that process towards two states so we will continue to talk to partners about that.”

A Downing Street spokesperson said the government remained committed to a two-state solution, as highlighted by the recent meeting between Starmer and Mohammad Mustafa, the head of the Palestinian Authority.

But on Tuesday, several MPs pushed the government to recognise a Palestinian state immediately.

“Does my honourable friend agree that now is the time to take the next serious step, which is to finally recognise the state of Palestine?” said Labour MP Emily Thornberry, who chairs the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer.

“The best time to do that might be alongside the French in New York in June.”

Falconer responded that, while the question of recognition was raised repeatedly in parliament, the government’s position remained the same.

“We do wish to recognise a Palestinian state, and we wish to do so as a contribution to a two-state solution,” he said.

“We will make the judgment about when the best moment is to try to make the fullest possible contribution.”

Scottish National Party MP Chris Law said he had recently represented the UK parliament at the Inter-Parliamentary Union where over 1,200 MPs from 188 countries passed a unanimous resolution supporting a two-state solution.

“There was plenty of notice of the UK not recognising a nation state,” Law said.

Law also said the Palestinian prime minister had told him that recognition of a Palestinian state would “be a paradigm change”, and asked Falconer to explain what impediments stood in the way.

Falconer suggested that until questions about security and governance, which he described as “final-status determinations”, were agreed, two states could not live side by side.

“While we are committed to the inalienable right of the Palestinians to a state as part of a two-state solution, let us not pretend that there are not vexed issues at the centre of what a Palestinian state would look like,” he said.

At least two MPs questioned whether a Palestinian state would still be viable into the near future, presumably considering both the war on Gaza, and the expansion and consolidation of illegal settlements in the West Bank.

Conservative MP Desmond Swayne said: “For how long does the minister think he will be able to recognise a Palestinian state that retains sufficient economically viable land to actually be a goer?”

A majority of UN member countries – 147 out of 193 – have recognised Palestinian statehood, but other countries which do not recognise Palestine include Canada, Italy and Germany.

“Some 147 states have recognised a Palestinian state, yet no Palestinian state is fully functioning,” Falconer said.

“Many members have referred to some of the practical impediments, whether it is the removal of Hamas from the Gaza strip or the economic challenges that face the Palestinian territories in both the West Bank and Gaza.”

He added: “The British Government are focused on changing the actual facts on the ground. That is the approach that we will take.”