The renewed diplomatic momentum for a political pathway towards peace laid out by the UK, France and Canada marks a defining moment in the pursuit of peace, one that must be met with resolve, not hesitation. This is an existential moment for the Palestinian people and the two-state solution.
Over the past 22 months, we have witnessed atrocities that defy comprehension. Starvation being used as a weapon of war, emaciated infants and babies born into a conflict with no end in sight, Hamas terrorists taking hostages and keeping them captive for months on end, armed settlers terrorising families and torching villages across the West Bank, with clear impunity.
The situation demands political courage, moral clarity and urgent international intervention.
‘The strategy of waiting for conditions to improve has failed’
A meaningful peace process has been absent for decades. The Likud Party’s founding charter rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state, votes in the Israeli Knesset have reaffirmed this position and today’s leadership has been clearly in its aims for full and permanent occupation; the recent approval of 22 new illegal settlements, proposals for internment camps in Gaza, and Minister Smotrich’s declared intent to impose full Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, underscore a deliberate strategy to eliminate the legal and territorial foundations needed for a viable Palestinian state.
The strategy of waiting in the hope that conditions might improve has failed. In close coordination with our UN partners, the UK is embracing a shift towards a truly multilateral framework; by aligning with the 147 nations that already recognise the State of Palestine, we are laying the foundations for a renewed and credible political process rooted in justice and security, with the aim of securing peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.
READ MORE: ‘Unilateral recognition won’t end Gaza’s suffering – a genuine peace process will’
‘This is not about legitimising or rewarding Hamas’
Recognition is neither a reward for one party nor a punishment for another; it is a long-overdue affirmation of the Palestinian people’s unconditional right to exist and live freely in a state of their own. It is a central foundation on which a peaceful future can be built. Peace is not made between occupier and occupied; it can only exist between equals
This is not about legitimising or rewarding Hamas, who need to release the hostages and play no future role in governing Gaza. The PLO, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab nations have publicly and repeatedly rejected any role for Hamas in a future Palestinian state and called for them to disarm. These are the partners for peace with whom need to build the foundations of a two state solution.
Equally, lasting peace in Israel requires credible partners. Prominent former officials—including Prime Ministers, military commanders, and intelligence chiefs—have warned that the current government’s pursuit of full and permanent occupation, including in Gaza, poses a serious threat to Israel’s long-term security and national interests.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this year by the UK and Palestinian Prime Ministers reaffirmed commitments to state building and governance reforms; the PA cannot be expected to build its capacity, reform, and meet arbitrary standards of statehood when the realities of the occupation are crippling its economy, stability, and territorial viability.
We must support a viable alternative to Hamas, under the authority of the PLO to govern a unified Gaza and West Bank, including East Jerusalem. At the same time, we must stand with pro-peace partners in Israel who are committed to negotiating a just and sustainable future with their Palestinian and regional neighbours. This is what the people of Israel want, to live in peace, security, and mutual recognition with their neighbours.
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‘Calls to delay recognition serve only to entrench the status quo’
The only remaining argument against recognition is that the current Israeli government doesn’t want it. That cannot be our guiding principle. Calls to delay recognition until after negotiations serve only to entrench the status quo, granting the occupying power, Israel, an effective veto over Palestinian rights.
Similarly, calls to delay recognition until after the war in Gaza is over gives Hamas control over this which they do not deserve, and gives Israel a reason to continue the war while annexing the West Bank, and Gaza.
Recognition is not the silver bullet that will solve everything, not least the starvation being inflicted on Palestinian children. For that, we need an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the removal of Israeli restrictions on aid entering Gaza and all remaining hostages to be freed.
But the momentum is shifting and a new pathway is emerging, the first step towards a just and lasting peace is clear, recognise the State of Palestine, and work with international partners to build a credible political process that ensures peace, security, and prosperity for both peoples.
Sarah Owen is a co-chair of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East (LFPME).
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