UK recognition of Palestinian state distracts from what is right

The current debate over recognising a Palestinian state is a dangerous distraction. It lets Keir Starmer and his government look like they are doing something bold while sidestepping consequential questions. Will the UK hold Israel accountable for the genocide in Gaza? Will it stop supplying arms, intelligence and diplomatic cover to an operation that is destroying any hope of a Palestinian state and Palestinian lives? Declaring recognition without attaching measurable, enforceable demands turns politics into theatre. Recognition becomes a headline-grabbing substitute for genuine self-determination. Worse, the contour of this “state” is being shaped not by Palestinians but by western capitals and Israel. David Lammy, as foreign secretary has been explicit that any future Palestinian state must be demilitarised. A formulation that […]