THE Palestinian ambassador to the UK has said that Keir Starmer's government must recognise the state of Palestine “now” and stop “sitting on their hands”.
Labour had pledged to recognise Palestine in the party's General Election manifesto.
“Palestinian statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people,” it read – but the new Labour Government have since refused to do so.
A bill has also been lodged by independent MP Shockat Adam to recognise Palestine, garnering support from across the House of Commons – but its chances of progressing appear slim after it fell to the bottom of the list of private members’ Bills after MPs ran out time last week to debate it.
Now, Husam Zomlot, in an exclusive interview with The National, has hit out at the delays – and said that the time for that recognition is “now” as Israel’s war on Gaza continues to wreak destruction and death upon the Palestinian people.
“The UK Government has all that it takes to recognise the state of Palestine. The Parliament, as far back as 2014, voted overwhelmingly for it,” he said – referring to a non-binding vote where MPs backed the move by 274 to 12.
“Also, look at the opinion polls, one after another, the UK public is fully supporting that recognition.”
The diplomat told The National that the UK Government is “delaying this” due to a “false assessment that recognition has to be within a certain peace process”.
“Waiting isn’t the right word here or the right strategy. We need to be brave and we need to behave like statesmen and do what is right – right now,” he said.
“Recognition is such a clear indication by the UK and other governments that they mean what they say.”
Zomlot added: “It's been a long time since they have been not meaning what they say, not following their words with deeds and giving us lip service."
He went on: “If you believe in a two-state solution – recognise the two states. The impact of recognition will be immediate, it will send a message to the Israeli settlers that stealing land and undermining any possibility of a Palestinian state is not going to be supported by the international community – not now and not forever.”
Zomlot said it would also send a “message of hope” for the Palestinian people, adding that “every day we wait is another day in the coffin”.
In a plea to the UK Government, he then added: “Time is not our friend. Don't sit on your hands much longer. This is the time to act. This moment, when things are so desperate and so bleak, is when you want to light a candle.
“Recognising the state of Palestine is lighting a candle in the hearts and minds of the millions of people who want to go in a different direction.
“And if you don't light this candle, you have missed a huge historic opportunity.”
The Palestinian ambassador said the UK has “missed many opportunities” in the past and played a “historic role” in the situation now faced by Palestinians – seemingly referring, among other things, to the Balfour Declaration.
“The Palestinian people see Britain as having contributed directly to their agony, their suffering and the Nakba, the ethnic cleansing and the loss of their homeland, and the oppression,” he said.
“So, it's a matter of mending and correcting a grave historic injustice that has been committed against the Palestinian people.
“But it's not just about correcting a grave injustice. It's also about doing the right thing at this point in time.”
