A British news outlet revealed on Wednesday that the United Kingdom is preparing to officially recognise the State of Palestine as early as this weekend, once U.S. President Donald Trump concludes his official visit and returns to Washington.
According to iNews, citing government sources, the announcement could be made within days, after Trump’s departure and before high-level foreign ministers’ meetings at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, scheduled for next Monday.
Diplomatic Calculations
Officials expected that Trump would be questioned about Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plans to advance recognition of Palestine during a joint press conference today. They explained that delaying the announcement until after Trump’s departure was due to the diplomatic pressure faced by the UK government during the visit.
Announcing recognition while Trump was still in the country, they said, could have risked escalating tensions with Washington. Both Trump and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio have repeatedly insisted on backing Israel’s ongoing war of extermination and starvation against Gaza.
UK’s Stronger Stance on Gaza
In contrast to Washington, Britain has adopted a noticeably sharper tone against Israel. Prime Minister Starmer and newly appointed Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper both condemned what they described as an “unbearable humanitarian catastrophe” unfolding in Gaza.
Cooper went further, describing Israel’s aggression as “utterly irresponsible and horrific”, warning that it would only bring more bloodshed, kill more innocent civilians, and endanger the remaining hostages.
Representation at the UN
Starmer will not attend next week’s UN gathering in New York. Instead, the UK will be represented by Yvette Cooper and David Lammy, who recently assumed the role of Deputy Prime Minister after serving as Foreign Secretary until earlier this month.
