London,September 21(HS):

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is poised to announce the United Kingdom’s formal recognition of a Palestinian state on Sunday, representing a seismic reversal of longstanding British foreign policy. The government signals that it could no longer wait for a Middle East peace process already stalled by Israel’s Gaza offensive and West Bank settlement expansion—developments ministers called intolerable and “cataclysmic.”

This dramatic step, long championed by the Labour Party’s left, comes amid accelerating international frustration over Israel’s conduct in Gaza and a controversial UN finding of genocide. While critics, including Israel and some Conservatives, warn the move may embolden Hamas or complicate the fate of hostage families, ministers argue recognition is now a moral imperative to keep prospects for a two-state solution alive.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the shift on his recent UK visit, while UK justice secretary David Lammy blamed Israel’s E1 settlement project and growing settler violence for extinguishing the hope of peace. In locking in September as a deadline, Starmer pressured Israel for a ceasefire and humanitarian access in Gaza, but government sources insisted that Palestinian statehood must not hinge on Hamas or hostage release.

Though symbolic, the UK’s action—following Spain, Ireland, Norway and others—puts pressure on allies and underscores the shifting diplomatic sands in the region. As the death toll in Gaza mounts and hopes for a viable two-state solution fade, Starmer’s announcement signals Britain’s readiness to challenge diplomatic orthodoxy and redefine its role in the peace process.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar