What we’re witnessing in Gaza is devastating. The scale of violence, the loss of life, it’s impossible not to be shaken by it. Like many of you, I want to see a lasting two-state solution that guarantees safety and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.
But Keir Starmer’s latest move, rushing to recognise a Palestinian state this September, is not the way to get there. It’s a knee-jerk reaction to pressure from his Back Bench MPs and the rise of Jeremy Corbyn’s new party. It’s not leadership; it’s desperation.
And here’s the truth: this announcement won’t free a single hostage still trapped in Gaza. It won’t push a single extra truck of humanitarian aid across the border. It won’t end the war. What it will do is send the wrong signal, that violence pays.
Nearly two years have passed since the horrific 7 October attacks, and Hamas is still holding hostages, still controlling Gaza, still fuelling the conflict. Yet we’ve heard nothing meaningful from the Government about a clear plan: no strategy to remove Hamas, no concrete steps with our allies to get hostages home, no vision for what a credible peace process actually looks like.
To talk about recognising a Palestinian state in the middle of all this chaos is reckless. It’s political theatre, designed to paper over divisions in Labour’s ranks and fend off the Corbyn threat, not to secure peace.
We need to face facts: there can be no lasting solution while Hamas remains. They must be completely dismantled before any peace process can even begin. Anything less just delays the inevitable.
This is a moment that demands real leadership, working closely with allies to defeat Hamas, get the hostages out, and build the framework for a genuine two-state solution that can finally deliver security for both peoples.
Instead, we’re being offered hollow gestures and party management. Frankly, Britain deserves far better.
