UK Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron said on Monday that as part of the diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving lasting progress in resolving the prolonged “Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Britain and its allies may contemplate recognition of a Palestinian State, thereby advancing the pursuit of a two-state solution.
Speaking at a reception for Arab ambassadors, Cameron emphasized the necessity for an immediate cessation of the conflict in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and, most importantly, providing the Palestinian people with a political horizon.
On Monday, the Financial Times reported that the UK is presenting a comprehensive five-point proposal to bring an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. This initiative, discussed by the FM during his recent tour of the region, advocates for defining a clear “political horizon” for the establishment of a Palestinian State alongside Israel. Additionally, it suggests the formation of a technocratic government to administer a unified “West Bank and Gaza.”
To ensure the ceasefire’s permanence, Hamas is required to release all hostages and commit to halting attacks against Israel, guaranteed by regional states. The proposal includes the relocation of Hamas’s senior leaders in Gaza, such as Yahya Sinwar, to another country. The UK official who spoke to the FT stressed the need to focus on realistic and achievable measures.
“As that happens, we, with allies, will look at the issue of recognizing a Palestinian state, including at the United Nations. This could be one of the things that helps to make this process irreversible,” Cameron said.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told parliament last week that Britain would consider recognizing a Palestinian State “when the time is right.”
A UK government official told the FT, “I think there is a growing consensus in the international community that a hostage deal and a pause are the keys for unlocking the chance of a permanent ceasefire, and that you have to have a much clearer political horizon for a Palestinian state: a new Palestinian government for the West Bank and Gaza, and that Hamas must never again be able to attack Israel.”
To put it bluntly: what the Arabs need to do to get themselves a Palestinian State is to raid Israeli communities, pick up as many hostages as would fit in the back of their Toyota trucks, and sit back and wait for the Western powers to offer Israel the freedom of their kidnapped civilians in exchange for a formidable suicide plan, otherwise known as being surrounded by an Arab terrorist state, this time less than 10 miles from downtown Tel Aviv.
This week, Cameron is set to embark on his fourth visit to the Middle East since assuming the role of foreign secretary last November. His focus will be on advocating for a de-escalation of tensions. His first leg will not be in Tel Aviv, however, but in Oman, where the FM will stress the importance of stability, particularly in the face of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. And then, he’ll call for an immediate halt to the war in Gaza, aiming to use diplomatic channels to prevent the Israel-Hamas war from expanding into a broader conflict.
Thank God for the Houthis. Their irrepressible vigor and passionate animosity are showing the West what a little bit of Hamas looks like. And thank God for the Iranians, who forced the Biden administration to consider changing their religious convictions about renewing the Iran nuclear deal by brazenly attacking a US base in the region.
As always, Israel should trust our Father in heaven, but the Arabs help.
