LABOUR have responded to anger over Keir Starmer’s U-turn on recognising Palestine – saying they would do so when it would have “maximum effect”.
The party came under fire this week after the Labour leader revealed he would not immediately recognise Palestine as an independent state, as had been promised by his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn.
Speaking to the Jewish Chronicle, Starmer said: “Recognition has to be part of a process, and an appropriate part of the process.”
He added there was “no risk” the party would return to the policy it had held under Corbyn.
A spokesperson for Starmer said a Labour government would recognise Palestine, but they would not be drawn on timings or the conditions for such a move.
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Speaking after Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, the spokesperson said a Labour government would work with other countries as part of a process of recognising the state of Palestine, in a way which would allow it “to come into being”.
He said: “The Palestinian claim to statehood is not in the gift of Labour, it is an inalienable right of the Palestinian people and the clear logic of any call for a two-state solution.
"What we’ve said and what our policy on this is, is that we believe that we should work with others on recognition at a point at which it would have the maximum impact on being able to do so.”
Recognising Palestine would not be “dependent on the peace process concluding”, the spokesperson added, but would rely on the cooperation of Britain’s allies.
He added: “We would do it at a point where, working with others, we believe that it would have the most impact on what we want to see, which is not just the recognition of a Palestinian state but a Palestinian state also being able to come into being.”
Labour’s new position was aimed at being “more substantive, rather than just being an individual nation giving recognition”, the spokesperson said.
The state of Palestine has been recognised by much of Asia, including China, Russia and India as well as most countries in Africa and South America.
It remains unrecognised by most of central and western Europe, North America, Australia, Mexico and Japan.
The Palestinian National Authority, led by Fatah politician Mahmoud Abbas (above), refers to itself as the state of Palestine and exercises power over parts of the West Bank.
Abbas is also chair of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, a Palestinian nationalist coalition which is recognised by the United Nations as the representative of territory.
The SNP have described Starmer’s reversal on Corbyn’s pledge to recognise Palestine on “day one” of a Labour government as “disappointing”.
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