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Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has condemned the Prime Minister Keir Starmer-led United Kingdom’s decision to formally recognise the State of Palestine.
Badenoch
Britain, alongside Australia, Canada and Protugal, on Sunday recognised a Palestinian state in a dramatic turn of events in decades of policies affecting the Palestinians question.
Starmer
Britain and Canada became the first G7 countries to take the step, with France and other nations expected to follow at the annual UN General Assembly, which opens Monday in New York.
However, the decision triggered swift Israeli anger and condemnation from the opposition.
Reacting in a statement on her X on Sunday, Badenoch described the move as “absolutely disastrous.”
She argued that the move rewards terrorism with no conditions, and the decision would be widely regretted.
She said, “Absolutely disastrous. We will all rue the day this decision was made. Rewarding terrorism with no conditions whatsoever put in place for Hamas.
“It leaves hostages languishing in Gaza and does nothing to stop the suffering of innocent people caught in this war.”
The Winchester opposition leader accused Labour of pandering to its “hard left” rather than fixing Britain’s pressing domestic problems.
“It is because Labour cannot fix the big problems in our society that they focus on discredited student union campaigns to appease the hard left.
Listing examples of Labour’s failings, she said, “They cannot fix the NHS, so they push assisted suicide. – They cannot create jobs for young people, so they give them votes at 16.
They cannot sort out immigration, but they will recognise Palestine instead. And so on. This is the same man who paid £35bn of reparations to Mauritius along with the surrender of the Chagos islands.”
Badenoch also criticised what she described as the prime minister’s lack of judgment.
“Everything we are seeing is a consequence of a Prime Minister who has no plan for the country and no judgment.
“He will spend the next four years delivering the hobbyhorses of the Labour left to stay in power and leave a HUGE mess for us to clean up.”
Stermer said on Sunday, “In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and of a two-state solution.”
The UK government said in July that it would shift its longstanding approach of holding off recognition until a supposed moment of maximum impact – unless Israel stops its genocidal war in Gaza, commits to a long-term sustainable peace process that delivers a two-state solution, and allows more aid into the enclave.
Daily raids by Israeli soldiers and attacks by settlers are also ongoing across the occupied West Bank, with Israel advancing plans to annex the Palestinian territory and “bury” the idea of a contiguous Palestinian state with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital.
Canada, Australia, and Portugal have joined the United Kingdom in formally recognising Palestinian statehood as Israel plans to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank and intensifies its war on Gaza.
In a statement on Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the recognition of a Palestinian state and offered “our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel”.
Carney added that the Israeli government was working “methodically to prevent the prospect of a Palestinian state from ever being established”.
Canada, Australia, and Portugal have joined the United Kingdom in formally recognising Palestinian statehood as Israel plans to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank and intensifies its war on Gaza.
In a statement on Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the recognition of a Palestinian state and offered “our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel”.
Carney added that the Israeli government was working “methodically to prevent the prospect of a Palestinian state from ever being established”.
“Recognising the State of Palestine, led by the Palestinian Authority, empowers those who seek peaceful coexistence and the end of Hamas. This in no way legitimises terrorism, nor is it any reward for it,” Carney said.
He added that the Palestinian Authority provided “direct commitments” to Canada on reforming its governance; holding general elections next year, which Hamas “can play no part” in; and demilitarising the Palestinian state.
At the same time, Australia announced that it was also recognising Palestinian statehood.
In a statement by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Australia said its recognition alongside Canada’s and the UK’s was part of an international effort for a two-state solution.
Albanese said in a joint statement with Foreign Minister Penny Wong that the decision was meant to revive momentum for a two-state solution that begins with a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of captives held in Gaza.
But the statement reiterated that Hamas must have “no role in Palestine”.
Later on Sunday Portugal’s Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel confirmed that his country had also recognised Palestinian statehood.
“The recognition of the state of Palestine is the realisation of a fundamental, constant, and fundamental line of Portuguese foreign policy,” Rangel said at the UN headquarters in New York.
Canada’s and Australia’s recognition of Palestinian statehood appears to have been coordinated with the UK, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that his country was formally recognising a Palestinian state shortly after the announcements from Ottawa and Canberra.
Starmer said recognition would “revive hope for peace for the Palestinians and Israelis and a two-state solution”.