Editorial: Keir ​Starmer edges towards recognising Palestine as a state and so further undermining Israel

The UK is edging closer to recognising Palestine, after France led a fresh move towards such an approach.

Nations such as Ireland, which is one of the most hostile states towards Israel in the west, pioneered such recognition. Last evening, Sir Keir Starmer spoke on the matter after meeting with the leaders of Germany and France, a day after Emmanuel Macron said that France would recognise Palestine.

Sir Keir, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Macron have called for Israel to “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid” into Gaza. “Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law.”

They said they are committed to working on a “credible plan” for the next phase in Gaza to put in place transitional governance that must include the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the removal of Hamas leadership as steps towards a two-state solution. Sir Keir said recognising a Palestinian state should be part of a “pathway” to peace, amid mounting pressure – not least from more than 200 MPs – for the UK to take the step. The prime minister said: “Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be [a step to a lasting peace] ... But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution ...”

What this all means is that an emphasis on a two-state solution is, at best, going to become the consensus position on the Middle East. The October 7 massacres, which never met with the international outrage that they deserved, fade into the past. Only America now is a reasonably firm ally of Israel. The US yesterday rightly said: “Hamas is the obstacle to a hostage release deal.” And even Donald Trump’s support of Israel is erratic.

Amid a PM as weak as Sir Keir, we trust that the Tories and Reform UK will be unwavering in their support for the embattled Jewish state, so it continues to have a key European ally, perhaps alongside Germany.