Britain may recognize a Palestinian state before reaching a peace deal with Israel

2024-02-02 07:52:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Britain may recognize a Palestinian state before reaching a peace deal with

Britain's top diplomat said on Thursday that his country could formally recognize a Palestinian state, following a ceasefire in Gaza, without waiting for the outcome of years of talks between Israel and the Palestinians on a two-state solution.

During a visit to Lebanon on Thursday, aimed at reducing regional tensions, Foreign Secretary David Cameron told the Associated Press news agency that there will be no recognition while Hamas continues to be Gaza. He said recognition could come as negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians continue.

UK and UN recognition of an independent Palestinian state "can't come at the beginning of the process, but it shouldn't be at the end of the process," said top diplomat Cameron, who previously served as prime minister. of Britain.

"It may be something that is taken into consideration as the process and progress towards a solution becomes more realistic," Mr Cameron said. "What we need to do is give the Palestinian people an opportunity for a better future, the future of having their own state."

This perspective is "absolutely vital to the long-term peace and security of the region," he said. Britain, the United States and other Western countries have backed the idea of ??an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel as a solution to the region's most intractable conflict, but have said independence must come as part of a peace settlement. negotiated.

Since 2009, there have been no substantive negotiations on this issue.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, has publicly opposed the creation of an independent Palestinian state after the war. He has even boasted in recent weeks that he played an important role in preventing the creation of a Palestinian state.

Efforts by some of Israel's key allies to recognize a Palestinian state without Israel's consent could isolate Israel and put pressure on it to be part of the talks.

Mr Cameron said the first step should be a "pause in fighting" in Gaza that would eventually turn into "a permanent and sustainable ceasefire".

He added that in order for his country to recognize a Palestinian state, the leaders of the militant group Hamas must leave Gaza "because we cannot have a two-state solution with Gaza still controlled by the individuals responsible for October 7", adding referred to the deadly Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war.

So far, Hamas has maintained that the militant group's leaders will not leave the Gaza Strip as part of a ceasefire deal.

Mr Cameron said his country was also proposing a plan to ease tensions on the border between Lebanon and Israel, where the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces have exchanged fire almost daily for the past four months, sparking fears of more war. regional wide.

The plan will include training Lebanese army forces from Britain to carry out more security activities in the border region, he said./ VOA