A UK government minister announced on Monday that the country intends to officially recognize Palestine as a state before the next general election in 2029. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds made this statement during an interview with Sky News, reaffirming the government's commitment to this cause. When asked whether recognition would take place in the current parliament, Reynolds affirmed, "In this parliament, yes. I mean, if it delivers the breakthrough that we need." He stressed, however, that the recognition must be meaningful and not merely symbolic: "But don't forget, we can only do this once. If we do it in a way which is tokenistic, doesn't produce the end to this conflict, where do we go to next?"
Reynolds also highlighted the urgency of addressing the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, pointing out, "the point about the airdrops is that we cannot wait -- we've got to do something." He expressed deep concern over the lack of humanity displayed, adding, "We can all see the lapse in humanity on display."
Recently, the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament called on the government to take bold steps and formally recognize Palestinian statehood as part of efforts to move towards a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. Committee chair Emily Thornberry expressed frustration, saying, "There is huge frustration among many of the British public that the government has consistently acted too little, too late." In addition, over 200 MPs have signed a cross-party letter urging Leader of the Opposition Sir Keir Starmer to take action and recognize Palestinian statehood.
Source: Anadolu Agency (https://tinyurl.com/yc26pr2r)
