Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that Britain would recognize the state of Palestine in September if Israel does not agree to a cease-fire with Hamas, pouring pressure on the Israeli government to halt a war that has put Gaza on the brink of famine. Mr. Starmer said recognition would not be immediate but would come as part of a broader European effort to end the ruinous war between Israel and Hamas. Britain followed in the steps of France, which announced last week that it would recognize an independent Palestinian state in September. Britain’s decision will deepen Israel’s diplomatic isolation after it abandoned a truce with Hamas in March and resumed its military offensive in Gaza. It also carries significant symbolic weight, given Britain’s diplomatic stature and history in the Middle East.
