Starmer: UK’ll recognise Palestinian state in September if…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK will formally recognise a state of Palestine in September 2025 unless Israel takes various “substantive steps”, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.

The potentially landmark move, part of Starmer’s plan for a “lasting peace”, came after the British leader recalled his cabinet from recess for urgent talks on the worsening situation in the besieged territory.

Starmer’s move, paired with Paris also saying it will recognise a Palestinian state in September, would make the two European allies the first G7 nations to do so.

In a televised Downing Street address immediately after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, Starmer said the UK will recognise a Palestinian state if Israel has not taken the steps demanded by the time the UN General Assembly is held in September.

It must “end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect” of a two-state solution, he added.

Starmer said: “I’ve always said we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process, at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution.

“With that solution now under threat, this is the moment to act.”

The UK leader also detailed several demands for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which is holding Israeli hostages seized in its attacks on October 7, 2023.

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“They must immediately release all of the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza,” Starmer added.

Israel promptly said it “rejects” the UK move, arguing it “constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Starmer had rewarded “Hamas monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims”.

“A jihadist state on Israel’s border today will threaten Britain tomorrow,” Netanyahu added.

Starmer had spoken to Netanyahu before the announcement, telling him “the situation in Gaza was intolerable”, a Downing Street spokeswoman told AFP.

“He urged the prime minister to take immediate action to lift all restrictions on aid access,” she added.

The UK move follows French President Emmanuel Macron announcing last week that Paris would recognise a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly meeting on September 23.

Although more than 140 countries already recognise the state of Palestine, none of them carry the weight of Britain and France, who are nuclear-armed allies of Israel with permanent seats on the UN Security Council.

The Star