David Lammy will tell MPs on Monday that the UK still intends to recognise a Palestinian state in September, with Israel having shown no sign of meeting the government’s demands.
The foreign secretary will say in a Commons statement that government officials intend to carry out a formal assessment in the coming days of whether Israel has complied with the tests set out by the prime minister, Keir Starmer.
But with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government continuing to harden its position on Gaza and the West Bank, the foreign secretary will confirm that Britain still plans to recognise Palestine.
A UK official said: “We will assess all the factors relevant to recognition, but as things stand we’re on a pathway to recognition later in September.”
Starmer said earlier in August that the UK would recognise Palestine before the UN general assembly, which starts on 9 September, unless Israel met a series of preconditions.
The prime minister made his statement after conversations with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron. The latter has said France intends to recognise Palestine at the UN meeting.
Starmer also spoke to Donald Trump before announcing his decision. The US president indicated the US would not object to such a move, but British officials are worried that his administration might retaliate by recognising Israeli jurisdiction over illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Starmer’s conditions for Israel include taking “substantive steps” to end the war in Gaza, agreeing a ceasefire and committing not to annex parts of the West Bank.
Far from taking steps towards satisfying any of those demands, however, Netanyahu has shown signs of violating them further.
Reuters reported that Israel was considering annexation in the West Bank if France, the UK and other countries push ahead with recognising Palestine. Israeli officials said the subject was on the agenda for Netanyahu’s cabinet meeting on Sunday, but would not say where or when annexation could happen.
The Foreign Office has just over a week to complete its formal assessment of Israel’s position. Senior government officials say the timing of the British recognition is being driven less by that process and more by diplomatic concerns that the government should be seen to be acting in concert with France.
Lammy said on Sunday that the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where UN-backed experts recently declared a famine, was a “man-made catastrophe” caused by Israel’s refusal to let in aid deliveries.
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The UN panel said more than half a million people were living in famine conditions, which were likely to spread further in coming weeks.
Lammy said in a statement: “The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with famine in Gaza City and women and girls bearing the brunt of the suffering.
“The UK is doing all we can to improve the situation but we remain crystal clear: for aid to have impact, Israel must ensure it is allowed in and delivered safely and securely to civilians in desperate need.”
The government also announced an extra £3m on Sunday to provide midwives and emergency medical supplies for new mothers in Gaza, but it said the aid would only reach the people who needed it if Israel allowed much greater humanitarian access to the region.
Lammy said: “This funding can only have maximum impact if the government of Israel allows it.
“Israel must ensure protection of civilians including healthcare staff and health infrastructure, and enable the delivery of life-saving medicines, medical equipment and healthcare supplies into Gaza.”
