The following petition has received over 120,000 signatories.
Normally this means it must be considered for debate in Parlia
ment. However, with dissolution on Friday ahead of the July 4
election, all petitions will stop. Petition
(Created by Sandra
Downs): For the United Kingdom to recognise the state of
Palestine immediately
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.
Government response (at 10,000 signatories)
This response was given on 27 February 2024
We must give Palestinians a credible political pathway and
irreversible momentum towards the establishment of Palestine. We
will recognise a Palestinian State when most conducive to the
peace process.
Read the response in full
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.
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.
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.
