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Closed petition 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.
More details
Because we want the people of Palestine to know we see them, recognise their struggle and take responsibility for our part in it.
This petition closed early because of a General Election Find out more on the Petitions Committee website
Parliament will consider this for a debate.
Parliament considers all petitions that get more than 100,000 signatures for a debate.
Waiting for a new Petitions Committee to be appointed after the General Election
Government responded
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.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
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About the petition you signed asking for the UK to recognise the state of Palestine
There will be a General Election on 4 July. This means that Parliament closes for a few weeks before the vote, for the election campaign. The Petitions Committee (the group of MPs who decide which petitions are debated) will cease to exist when Parliament closes.
After the election, the new House of Commons will appoint new committees. It will be up to the new Petitions Committee to decide whether to schedule a debate on this petition. Previous Petitions Committees have generally agreed to schedule debates on petitions that received 100,000 signatures but were unable to be debated before a general election.
We don't know yet exactly when a new Petitions Committee will be appointed, but will update our website with news about the new Petitions Committee and reopening of the site. You can also follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @HoCPetitions for updates.
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