LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hold an emergency cabinet on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Gaza and a proposed peace plan as he comes under mounting pressure from his own party to recognize a Palestinian state.
Starmer has taken the rare step of recalling his cabinet during the summer holidays to discuss how to deliver more humanitarian aid to Gaza.
In a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Scotland on Monday, Starmer discussed the need for a ceasefire in Gaza and what he called the “revolting” humanitarian crisis.
Britain is working on the plan with France and Germany after a call between the leaders of the three countries last week.
Starmer has not shared details of the plan, but over the weekend he compared the proposals to the “coalition of the willing,” the international effort to support Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in its war with Russia.
Starmer’s spokesman said he would discuss the plan with other international allies and countries in the Middle East.
War has raged in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas for the past 22 months. Israel has been facing growing international criticism, which its government rejects, over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
With warnings people in Gaza are facing starvation, growing numbers of lawmakers in Starmer’s Labour Party want him to recognize a Palestinian state to put pressure on Israel.
British foreign minister David Lammy will attend a United Nations conference in New York on Tuesday to urge support for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.
Successive British governments have said they will formally recognize a Palestinian state when the time is right, without ever setting a timetable or specifying the necessary conditions.
The issue has come to the fore after President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday France would recognize Palestine as a state.
Starmer has so far rejected plans to immediately recognize a Palestinian state, saying he was focused on “practical solutions.”
Last week, more than 200 British members of parliament from nine parties signed a letter Friday calling for an immediate recognition of a Palestinian state.
UK PM Starmer recalls cabinet to discuss Gaza peace plan
https://arab.news/4fkng
UK PM Starmer recalls cabinet to discuss Gaza peace plan
- Starmer has not shared details of the plan, but over the weekend he compared the proposals to the “coalition of the willing,” the international effort to support Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in its war with Russia
Australia police detain 7 men suspected to have ideological links to Bondi Beach gunmen
- Government to launch gun buyback scheme in bid to prevent further violence
- Prime minister announces ‘day of reflection’ one week after attack
SYDNEY: Australian police said that seven men detained in Sydney’s southwest on Thursday had ideological connections to the two gunmen who allegedly fired at hundreds celebrating Hanukkah in Bondi Beach, killing 15 people.
“We don’t have definitive links between the individuals who committed these atrocities on Sunday and this yesterday apart from potential commonality in some thinking, but no associations at this stage,” New South Wales state Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson told ABC Radio on Friday.
Investigations were at an initial stage, Hudson said, adding one of the locations the group was planning to visit was Bondi.
Amid an outcry over the latest gun violence, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that the government will launch a national gun buyback scheme to encourage civilians to get rid of their guns.
“We expect hundreds of thousands of firearms will be collected and destroyed through this scheme,” Albanese told a news conference.
Albanese also said Australia will hold a national “day of reflection” one week after the mass shooting.
“This day is about standing with the Jewish community, wrapping our arms around them, and all Australians sharing their grief,” Albanese said as he declared Australia would honor the attack’s 15 victims on Sunday, December 21.
