The Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, argues that insisting on more conditions for recognizing a Palestinian state will only perpetuate the “deadly status quo” and align the UK with an apartheid regime, as reported in The Guardian. Zomlot urges the Labour government to honor its pledge to recognize Palestine before a major UN conference on the two-state solution, set to take place in New York next week. He emphasizes that recognition is not a reward or a penalty, but a declaration of the Palestinians’ inherent right to exist freely in their homeland, free of any conditions. Zomlot warns that delaying recognition reinforces the status quo and hands Israel a perpetual veto over the Palestinian future.
Debates over recognition are occurring behind the scenes, with countries deliberating whether to recognize Palestine before the conference or to offer it on a “credible timeline and subject to conditions.” France and the UK are reportedly in deep consultation on the matter. Zomlot asserts that recognition is a decisive and irreversible step, not a mere symbol, and calls on the UK to demonstrate moral leadership and clarity, stating that peace cannot be achieved between an occupier and the occupied, but only among equals.
France, a co-sponsor of the conference, has published a letter from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, outlining commitments to lay down arms and no longer rule Gaza as part of a future Palestinian state, along with vows for administrative reform and plans to hold long-overdue elections. The letter also condemns the October 2023 Hamas attack and calls for a stabilization mission and the release of hostages. French President Emmanuel Macron characterizes the letter as one of hope, but the agreement on Hamas’s disarmament and exile of its leadership remains a topic of debate. Experts note that recognition could push the Palestinian Authority toward needed political changes but does not necessarily influence Hamas’s stance on disarmament.
In the UK, there is mounting pressure on the government to recognize Palestine without conditions, ahead of the UN conference. The Middle East Minister, Hamish Falconer, is under scrutiny to commit to this stance. The decision ultimately depends on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with France, Canada, and the UK being the G7 countries most likely to recognize Palestine. The upcoming conference in New York aims to revive discussions for a two-state solution, with various working groups attempting to address animosity fueled by the conflict. Diplomatic efforts continue despite concerns about potential backlash from the US over the recognition issue.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/13/recognise-palestine-now-to-avoid-deadly-status-quo-says-its-uk-ambassador
