Britain promises to assist Palestinians, but has not recognized the state yet
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday worked to increase Britain’s aid efforts in Gaza and advocated a peaceful two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
But the day after France expressed its willingness to do so, Stamer did not announce Britain’s recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state.
“We are expanding our efforts. We are accelerating our efforts to evacuate children in Gaza who need critical medical assistance and bring them to the UK for professional medical care,” Starmer said in a video posted to social platform X.
He added: “It is too late that Israel will allow countries to aid to Gaza, but we will do our best to get aid through this route. We have worked urgently with the Jordanian authorities to bring UK aid into the plane and into Gaza.”
France became the first G7 to recognize Palestine as a state on Thursday.
French President Emmanuel Macron said: “The French people want peace in the Middle East. It depends on us, the French, as well as the Israelis, the Palestinians and our European and international partners to prove that this is possible.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the gesture.
“Under these conditions, the Palestinian state will be the launch pad to annihilate Israel – do not live in peace beside it. Let us be clear: Palestinians do not seek states with Israel; they seek a state rather than Israel,” he wrote on X.
Israeli leaders isolated thousands of families and children in the West Bank, leading to reports of hunger and urgent need for foreign aid.
Starmer on Friday recommended Britain participate in ceasefire talks and a lasting peace deal.
“With our closest allies, I am working on a path to peace in the region, with a focus on practical solutions that will have a real impact on the lives of those suffering in this war,” Starmer said in the Friday Post.
“This road will create concrete steps to turn the desperately needed ceasefire into lasting peace. Awareness of the Palestinian state must be one of these steps. I have no doubt about this, but it must be part of a broader plan, which ultimately leads to a two-state solution and provides lasting security for both Palestinians and Israelis,” he added. ”
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