LONDON: A group of nearly 60 British Labour politicians have called on the UK government to immediately recognize a Palestinian state, following alarming developments in Gaza and controversial remarks from Israel’s defense minister, The Guardian reported on Saturday.
In a letter sent to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Thursday, the cross-section of MPs, spanning both centrist and left-wing factions, accused Israel of ethnic cleansing in Gaza and demanded urgent action to prevent the forcible transfer of Palestinian civilians to a camp in the ruins of Rafah.
“It is with great urgency and concern that we are writing to you regarding the Israeli defense minister’s announcement on Monday of his plans to forcibly transfer all Palestinian civilians in Gaza to a camp in the ruined city of Rafah without allowing them to leave,” the MPs wrote.
Citing a prominent Israeli human rights lawyer, they continued: “The defense minister’s plans have been described by a leading Israeli human rights lawyer, Michael Sfard, as ‘an operational plan for crimes against humanity. It’s about population transfer to the southern tip of Gaza in preparation for deportation outside the strip.’
“Though an accurate description, we believe there is a clearer one. The ethnic cleansing of Gaza,” they added.
The letter, organized by Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, was signed by 59 MPs, including group co-chairs Sarah Owen and Andrew Pakes, as well as Liam Byrne, chair of the business and trade select committee.
Other prominent signatories include Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Stella Creasy, Clive Lewis, Diane Abbott and Dawn Butler.
The MPs outlined five key demands to ministers, some of which are in line with existing UK policy, such as continued funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency and efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
However, other recommendations are likely to stir political debate.
These include imposing a trade blockade on Israeli settlements in the West Bank and granting immediate recognition to Palestine as a sovereign state.
“By not recognizing (Palestine) as a state, we undermine our own policy of a two-state solution and set an expectation that the status quo can continue and see the effective erasure and annexation of Palestinian territory,” the MPs warned.
The UK government has previously indicated that it supports recognition of a Palestinian state “at the point of maximum impact,” as part of a broader peace process in coordination with international allies.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office reiterated this position: “We are committed to recognizing a Palestinian state and to doing so when (it) will have most impact in support of a peace process.”
The Labour MPs’ intervention comes just days after French President Emmanuel Macron issued a similar call during his state visit to the UK.
Speaking alongside Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Macron stressed the need for an unconditional ceasefire and momentum toward recognition.
“Calling today for a ceasefire in Gaza without any condition is telling the rest of the world that for us as Europeans, there is no double standard. As we are attached to human lives, as we are attached to territorial integrity, we want the ceasefire, no discussion,” Macron said.
“Today, working together in order to recognize the state of Palestine and to initiate this political momentum is the only path to peace,” he added.
This is the second letter sent by Labour MPs in recent weeks calling for immediate recognition of Palestine, but the first time the signatories have made their names public. A previous letter also included some parliamentary aides and junior ministers.
