London: The United Kingdom’s formal recognition of Palestinian statehood has set off a firestorm at home and abroad, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer defending the controversial move as a “revival of hope” in the two-state peace process. The announcement, made in coordination with Australia and Canada, comes amid escalating violence in Gaza and growing international pressure for a negotiated settlement.
Starmer justified the decision as necessary after Israel’s failure to halt settlement expansion and safeguard Palestinian rights in the West Bank. He insisted the recognition was not an endorsement of Hamas, which remains banned as a terrorist organization in the UK, but an attempt to keep alive the framework of peaceful coexistence between Israel and Palestine. “This is not about rewarding terror; this is about saving the prospect of peace,” Starmer said in his address.
The timing of the decision has drawn sharp criticism. Mandy Damari, mother of Emily Damari a British-Israeli hostage abducted and shot during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack and held for 15 months in Gaza condemned the move as “rewarding Hamas.” She described Starmer’s policy as a “two-state delusion” while hostages remain in captivity.
Israel responded furiously. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the recognition a “huge reward to terrorism,” with the Israeli foreign ministry echoing that it emboldens militants and undermines hostage negotiations.
In contrast, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the move as a “historic moment paving the way for Palestine to live side by side with Israel in peace and security.” Ordinary Palestinians voiced cautious optimism, hoping more countries will follow suit.
Within the UK, the recognition has intensified political divides. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey hailed the step as “long overdue,” while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch slammed it as “disastrous.” Nigel Farage dismissed it as “doing nothing to bring peace,” and Green Party voices called for broader action, including halting arms sales to Israel.
The decision raises immediate questions about the practical path forward: who governs Gaza under Hamas’s shadow, how stability can be guaranteed, and what conditions are needed for lasting peace. Yet for Starmer, the recognition is a gamble an effort to show leadership on the world stage, revive faith in diplomacy, and keep alive the fading hope of a two-state solution.
