British Foreign Secretary David Cameron has indicated that Britain wants to officially recognize the state of Palestine. He also commented that Palestinians should be given a political space to establish peace in the Middle East. He will visit the region for the fourth time since being appointed foreign minister in November. BBC reported this information in a report on Tuesday.
At a reception in Westminster, Cameron said it was the UK’s responsibility to decide what a Palestinian state would look like. The Palestinian people must show ‘irreversible progress’ towards a two-state solution.
He told the conservative Middle East Council that the UK would consider recognizing a Palestinian state with allies including the United Nations. This will help to implement the matter.
The UK foreign secretary also called on Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, saying it was “ridiculous” that British and other vital aid was being sent back across the border.
David Cameron said Israel has failed to protect its citizens for the past 30 years. He claimed that only by admitting that failure would peace and progress be achieved.
Britain has long supported a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in separate countries.
But Cameron says Britain could formally and diplomatically recognize a Palestinian state, not as part of a final peace deal, but during negotiations. At the same time, he said, a new Palestinian Authority must be formed “rapidly” with “technocrats and good leaders” capable of governing Gaza.
The British Foreign Secretary also said, most importantly, provide the Palestinian people with a political platform, so that they can see the irreversible progress of the two-state solution and, importantly, the establishment of a Palestinian state.
He said, “We have a responsibility there. Because the Palestinian state should begin to consider what it will look like, what it will consist of, how it will function and importantly recognize the state of Palestine with allies including the United Nations.
Cameron said a long-term deal would also include the release of all Israeli hostages, assurances that Hamas would not attack Israel and that the group’s leaders would leave Gaza. Such an agreement is ‘difficult’ but not impossible.
On ongoing efforts to end the war in Gaza, Cameron said a pause in the fighting was now needed and there were “hopeful signs” of talks. “There is a path, which we now see open, where we can really make progress. There is progress not only in ending the conflict, but in finding a political solution that can bring years of peace instead of months of peace.’
The real challenge, he said, would be to “turn that break into a sustainable ceasefire without going back to war.” Although this is incredibly difficult, attempts have failed in the past. But we cannot give up. In the last 30 years we have seen only failure. This is a story of failure for Israel. Because they had a growing economy, their standard of living rose, they invested in defense and security. But they could not give a state. Every family wants security. They have failed for the last 30 years.
