Minister rejects claim that recognition of Palestine state could breach international law

A curate has denied claims that Sir Keir Starmer could hazard breaching planetary instrumentality with his pledge to recognise Palestine arsenic a state.

Nearly 40 members of the House of Lords, including salient UK lawyers, made the claims successful a missive to Attorney General Lord Hermer yesterday.

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The letter, archetypal reported by The Times, argues that Sir Keir's promise to recognise Palestine successful September - unless Israel takes "substantive steps" to extremity the concern successful Gaza - whitethorn breach planetary instrumentality arsenic the territory whitethorn not conscionable the criteria for statehood nether the Montevideo Convention, a pact signed successful 1933.

But speaking to Wilfred Frost on Sky News Breakfast, tiny concern curate Gareth Thomas said helium did not judge the move, which has been condemned by Israel, would breach planetary instrumentality due to the fact that the UK has not signed the Montevideo Convention.

He pointed retired that 140 countries person already recognised Palestine arsenic a state.

Mr Thomas said: "I respect the views of those lawyers, but successful the end, designation of a authorities is simply a governmental judgement.

"And we've been precise wide that our judgement is that the Palestinians person an inalienable close to statehood; that present is the close clip to accidental publically that we volition recognise the authorities of [Palestine] unless Israel agrees to extremity the appalling unit that we're seeing successful Gaza astatine the moment, and commits to a 2 authorities solution."

He added: "And the ceasefire that tin alteration the immense amounts of assistance we request to get assistance and to provender the radical of Gaza and commits to nary annexation of onshore successful the West Bank. Otherwise, we volition recognise, astatine the UN General Assembly successful September."

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney yesterday followed successful the footsteps of the UK and France, saying his state would besides recognise Palestine arsenic a authorities pending definite conditions - including that the Palestinian Authority commits to fundamentally reforming its governance, and holds wide elections successful 2026 successful which Hamas tin play nary part.

But successful their missive to Lord Hermer, 38 peers said Palestine "does not conscionable the planetary instrumentality criteria for designation of a state, namely, defined territory, a imperishable population, an effectual authorities and the capableness to participate into relations with different states".

They said determination was nary certainty implicit the borders of Palestine and nary azygous government, portion besides pointing retired that Hamas and Fatah are enemies.

Lord Hermer has antecedently insisted that a committedness to planetary instrumentality "goes perfectly to the heart" of the government's attack to overseas policy.

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Among the respected lawyers who person signed the missive are Lord Pannick - who represented the erstwhile authorities astatine the Supreme Court implicit its Rwanda strategy - arsenic good arsenic KCs Lord Verdirame and Lord Faulks.

Some of Parliament's astir salient Jewish voices, including crossbench adjacent Baroness Deech, Labour's Lord Winston and the Conservatives' Baroness Altmann, person besides enactment their sanction to the letter.

Israel has condemned the UK's decision, with the overseas ministry arguing it "constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to execute a ceasefire successful Gaza and a model for the merchandise of hostages".

Some of the disapproval towards the UK stance has been that conditions person been laid for Israel but not Hamas.

Challenged astir this, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the UK does not "negotiate with terrorists".

Asked whether the authorities would inactive recognise Palestine if Hamas does not merchandise immoderate hostages betwixt present and September, helium said: "Our requests that each hostages indispensable beryllium released and that Hamas tin play nary aboriginal relation successful the governance of Gaza oregon a Palestinian authorities are long-standing.

"We don't negociate with terrorists and Hamas are terrorists, and that's wherefore we don't get into a to-and-fro with them arsenic to what we privation them to do.

"What we are seeking to bash is usage the infinitesimal of designation of a Palestinian State successful a mode that allows america to genuinely effort and determination this struggle forward, extremity it not conscionable successful the abbreviated term, but for the agelong word arsenic well."