Recognition of Palestine? Johnson criticizes Starmer: He is courting Muslim voters

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in late July that the UK would recognize a Palestinian state as early as September, during the UN General Assembly. This would happen if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and take steps towards a lasting peace.

During a rare emergency cabinet meeting held over the summer, Starmer outlined the UK government's position on the escalating conflict in Gaza to ministers. The Prime Minister made clear that the UK would not delay recognizing Palestinian statehood unless the Israeli government took concrete steps to end the "terrible situation," signed a ceasefire, abandoned plans to annex the West Bank, and committed to a long-term peace process based on a two-state agreement.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson: It's about voters, not the future of Palestine

"It's absurd," the former prime minister said of Starmer's announcements on Palestine. Johnson suggested that the prime minister's declaration was primarily inspired by France's actions (President Macron announced that France would recognize Palestinian statehood in September during the UN General Assembly ) and was political in nature. According to the former Conservative Party leader, it has nothing to do with promoting lasting peace in the Middle East or real progress towards a two-state solution. In an interview with NewsNation, Johnson emphasized that the Labour leader is wavering between political paralysis and panic stemming from internal disputes within his party, and is looking for a way to win over Muslim voters.

Johnson also criticized broader efforts to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. He noted that recognition requires clearly defined borders and a stable government capable of controlling the territory. In the case of Palestine, he believes this is impossible, especially since Hamas, which he described as a "psychotic Islamic fascist terrorist organization," holds part of the power.

The West is pressuring Israel

Voices are growing in Western countries, and elsewhere, calling for the recognition of two states —Israel and Palestine—as the only path to ending the conflict. International organizations are sounding the alarm over the critical humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Reports indicate, among other things , mass starvation and a blockade of humanitarian aid supplies . Despite these dire conditions, the Israeli government rejects claims of a blockade, accusing Hamas of spreading propaganda aimed at discrediting Israel.

In the United States, some Democratic Party politicians, such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Representative Ro Khanna, are pressing the administration to follow the lead of Great Britain and France and recognize a Palestinian state. The US government has refused to do so, a demand criticized by Marco Rubio, among others.

The decline in American aid is raising additional concerns. The US administration has scaled back its aid efforts in the Middle East, including by closing the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and reducing its involvement in the UN Food Programme. This, in the context of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, heightens concerns about the situation of its residents.