MPs are to join a dual debate of Israel/Palestine petitions signed by the public before the general election.
In addition to a debate on halting arms sales to Israel, they will discuss whether the UK should recognise the state of Palestine.
The petition on this closed prematurely on May 20 this year because the election had been called. It had already gathered 283,669 signatures – much more than the 107,316 collected by arms sales petition.
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It states: “We believe that the Government needs to recognise the state of Palestine immediately. Otherwise we don’t think they can legitimately say they back a two-state solution.
“Because we want the people of Palestine to know we see them, recognise their struggle and take responsibility for our part in it.”
It’s possibly not the best-phrased petition ever, but it gets its point across. The former Tory government had responded to it – at length – on February 27, after it had gathered its first 10,000 signatures.
The response states: “The UK unequivocally supports a two-state solution, one that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
“We have also been clear that must give the people of the West Bank and Gaza the political perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future, and that this needs to be irreversible. This is not entirely in our gift, but Britain and our partners can help by confirming our commitment to a sovereign, viable Palestinian state, and our vision for its composition. Crucially, we must state our clear intention to grant it recognition, including at the United Nations. As the Foreign Secretary has said, that can’t come at the start of the process, but neither does it have to be at the very end. Our long-standing position has been that we will recognise a Palestinian State at a time that is most conducive to the peace process.”
In the current atmosphere, This Writer has to question when that will be. Will it be when Gaza has been wiped off the face of the Earth, its inhabitants either scattered or murdered? I doubt that recognition of their statehood will do them any good – or even be forthcoming at all – in that eventuality.
“The Palestinian Authority has an important long-term role to play in achieving this goal, and so we must work with our allies to provide serious, practical and enduring support needed to bolster the Palestinian Authority. We already provide technical and practical support and are ready to do more. But the Palestinian Authority also must take much needed steps on reform, including setting out a pathway to democratic progress.
“As a priority, we want to see an end to the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible. This is why we are calling for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life. The formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package, and a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution, are two vital steps to achieve this. In parallel we need to see the release of all hostages; Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks against Israel removed; and Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza.”
In other words, the UK government wanted Gaza to be defenceless against Israel’s military might. Considering the depths to which the Israeli military has stooped – the wholesale murder of women and children and the destruction of Gaza’s health system, to name just the most prominent – it would be horrifying to imagine what might have happened if these aims of the former government had been achieved.
“The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have reiterated these messages with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political leaders, including during the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Israel on 24th January. They have also raised these points with leaders in Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon in recent weeks.
“We recognise that we need to generate momentum now towards a permanent peace, and that the international community will need to make a massive effort to deliver a reconstruction plan for Gaza. That is why we are pressing for a Contact Group, bringing together the key players, to be set up at once. The UK remains firmly committed to working with our key partners to secure an immediate pause in fighting, make progress towards a sustainable ceasefire, and build momentum towards a long-term political solution.”
Cut all that down to its bare bones and the Tories were keen to recognise Palestine only at a time when its existence was no longer viable. That is hardly a practical response.
One hopes we can hear more practical ideas at the debate on December 16.
The other drawback is that this will be discussed in tandem with another petition, about halting arms sales to Israel. It seems likely that neither subject will get the attention it deserves.
But of course, with Keir Starmer running the government, we should all be aware that Palestinians will get no help here.
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MPs are to join a dual debate of Israel/Palestine petitions
MPs are to join a dual debate of Israel/Palestine petitions signed by the public before the general election.
In addition to a debate on halting arms sales to Israel, they will discuss whether the UK should recognise the state of Palestine.
The petition on this closed prematurely on May 20 this year because the election had been called. It had already gathered 283,669 signatures – much more than the 107,316 collected by arms sales petition.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
It states: “We believe that the Government needs to recognise the state of Palestine immediately. Otherwise we don’t think they can legitimately say they back a two-state solution.
“Because we want the people of Palestine to know we see them, recognise their struggle and take responsibility for our part in it.”
It’s possibly not the best-phrased petition ever, but it gets its point across. The former Tory government had responded to it – at length – on February 27, after it had gathered its first 10,000 signatures.
The response states: “The UK unequivocally supports a two-state solution, one that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
“We have also been clear that must give the people of the West Bank and Gaza the political perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future, and that this needs to be irreversible. This is not entirely in our gift, but Britain and our partners can help by confirming our commitment to a sovereign, viable Palestinian state, and our vision for its composition. Crucially, we must state our clear intention to grant it recognition, including at the United Nations. As the Foreign Secretary has said, that can’t come at the start of the process, but neither does it have to be at the very end. Our long-standing position has been that we will recognise a Palestinian State at a time that is most conducive to the peace process.”
In the current atmosphere, This Writer has to question when that will be. Will it be when Gaza has been wiped off the face of the Earth, its inhabitants either scattered or murdered? I doubt that recognition of their statehood will do them any good – or even be forthcoming at all – in that eventuality.
“The Palestinian Authority has an important long-term role to play in achieving this goal, and so we must work with our allies to provide serious, practical and enduring support needed to bolster the Palestinian Authority. We already provide technical and practical support and are ready to do more. But the Palestinian Authority also must take much needed steps on reform, including setting out a pathway to democratic progress.
“As a priority, we want to see an end to the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible. This is why we are calling for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life. The formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package, and a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution, are two vital steps to achieve this. In parallel we need to see the release of all hostages; Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks against Israel removed; and Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza.”
In other words, the UK government wanted Gaza to be defenceless against Israel’s military might. Considering the depths to which the Israeli military has stooped – the wholesale murder of women and children and the destruction of Gaza’s health system, to name just the most prominent – it would be horrifying to imagine what might have happened if these aims of the former government had been achieved.
“The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have reiterated these messages with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political leaders, including during the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Israel on 24th January. They have also raised these points with leaders in Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon in recent weeks.
“We recognise that we need to generate momentum now towards a permanent peace, and that the international community will need to make a massive effort to deliver a reconstruction plan for Gaza. That is why we are pressing for a Contact Group, bringing together the key players, to be set up at once. The UK remains firmly committed to working with our key partners to secure an immediate pause in fighting, make progress towards a sustainable ceasefire, and build momentum towards a long-term political solution.”
Cut all that down to its bare bones and the Tories were keen to recognise Palestine only at a time when its existence was no longer viable. That is hardly a practical response.
One hopes we can hear more practical ideas at the debate on December 16.
The other drawback is that this will be discussed in tandem with another petition, about halting arms sales to Israel. It seems likely that neither subject will get the attention it deserves.
But of course, with Keir Starmer running the government, we should all be aware that Palestinians will get no help here.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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