Palestinians carry sacks of flour unloaded from a humanitarian aid convoy that had been en route to Gaza City from the northern Gaza Strip. Photo / The Washington Post
Palestinians carry sacks of flour unloaded from a humanitarian aid convoy that had been en route to Gaza City from the northern Gaza Strip. Photo / The Washington Post
Opinion by British High Commissioner Iona Thomas
THE FACTS
The UK will recognise Palestine if Israel doesn’t take steps towards peace in Gaza.
The UK has suspended some arms exports to Israel, sanctioned officials and increased humanitarian aid.
Recognition aims to revive the two-state solution and pressure all parties to negotiate.
The United Kingdom has long supported the principle of Palestinian statehood. Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer made clear that this is no longer a distant aspiration.
Unless the Israeli Government takes concrete steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza and commit to a path towardsa lasting peace, the UK will formally recognise the state of Palestine ahead of the UN General Assembly in September.
This is not a symbolic gesture. It is, as Foreign Secretary David Lammy put it at the UN, “a catalyst”. A catalyst that is part of an international effort to revive the dying two-state solution and respond meaningfully to the appalling humanitarian disaster.
The devastation in Gaza is undeniable and unrelenting. In the words of Starmer, “the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups and Israel’s disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible”.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has suspended arms exports to Israel and increased humanitarian aid. Photo / Getty Images
This is not to deny the horrific nature of the October 7 attack by Hamas. And the UK is clear that Hamas must never be rewarded. We call on Hamas to immediately release all the hostages, commit to disarmament and accept it will play no part in the Government of Gaza.
Recognition of a Palestinian state, in this context, is not about blame or rewarding one side over another. It’s about restoring balance. It’s about ensuring that any path forward includes the rights, futures and dignity of both peoples.
In practical terms, the UK has taken action to address the current crisis: we have suspended arms exports to Israel, sanctioned Israeli ministers and violent settlers, frozen trade talks and increased humanitarian aid. Now, recognition of Palestine joins that list, as part of a wider strategy, not a moment in isolation.
For decades, the international community, including New Zealand, has reiterated its commitment to two states living side by side. UN resolutions, from 242 (1967) to 2334 (2016), are the accumulated conviction of a world that wants peace but sees it slipping further away.
Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, said plainly that the Israeli Government’s outright rejection of a two-state solution is “morally and strategically wrong”. Shutting down the only path that can deliver both peace and legitimacy, it both harms Palestinians and undermines the long-term interests of Israelis.
Recognition alone won’t resolve the crisis. But it signals a shift: away from waiting for perfect conditions and toward using diplomacy as an active lever. It puts pressure on all parties, Israel, Hamas and others, to return to the negotiating table.
The UK has made clear that no party can hold a veto over our recognition. Both Hamas and the Israeli Government will be judged on whether they meet clear conditions: ceasefire, humanitarian access, a political horizon. It’s a firm but balanced approach, one aimed at preserving the viability of the only solution that offers dignity, peace and security, not only today but for a future that is different from the last years.
New Zealand and the UK have long supported a rules-based international order. We speak often about justice, peace and multilateralism. We have backed UN resolutions affirming Palestinian self-determination, supported UNRWA, and consistently called for aid access and de-escalation.
New Zealand and the UK have consistently supported international law, justice and peace through backing UN resolutions, aid access and multilateral efforts. Photo / RNZ
The UK’s position now invites others to reflect. As the conflict deepens and the humanitarian crisis worsens, how can countries like ours use our voice, reputation and diplomacy to stop this war from extinguishing the last chance for peace?
There are no simple answers. But there is a clear direction: towards action that supports civilian life, international law and the promise of a two-state future.
In closing his address to the UN, the Foreign Secretary said: “The hand of history is on our shoulders.” These words were not poetic hyperbole, but a reminder of responsibility.
The two-state solution is not dead yet but finds itself in critical condition. What happens now will decide whether it survives.
Recognition won’t fix everything. But alongside co-ordinated efforts, aid delivery, a ceasefire, diplomacy and accountability, it can help shift the balance towards justice and survival. This is not about choosing sides. It’s about people, hostages still held, children starving and trust eroded on all sides.
Diplomacy in these times of instability is when our principles as diplomats are put to the test. The UK is determined to work towards a lasting peace.
Staying engaged, clear-eyed and committed to a peaceful outcome may be the most important contribution we can make.
