British Foreign Secretary Cameron: We can consider officially recognizing the State of Palestine

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said they could consider officially recognizing the State of Palestine. Cameron said that in order to promote peace in the Middle East, Palestinians need to be given a political horizon.

Ahead of his fourth visit to the region since being appointed foreign secretary in November, Cameron said Britain has a responsibility to determine what a Palestinian state would look like.

Cameron emphasized the need to show “irreversible progress” towards a two-state solution for the Palestinian people.

Speaking to members of the Conservative Middle East Council, Cameron said, “If this happens, we will look at the issue of recognizing the Palestinian state, including at the United Nations, along with our allies.”

The foreign secretary also called on Israel to allow more humanitarian aid to Gaza, saying it was “ridiculous” to reject vital aid at the border.

Cameron said Israel’s security policies over the past 30 years have been a failure because they have failed to ensure the security of Israeli citizens, emphasizing that peace and progress can only be achieved when this failure is recognized.

Britain has long supported a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in separate countries. However, Cameron suggests that Britain could formally and diplomatically recognize the State of Palestine not as part of a final peace agreement, but during negotiations.

Cameron also said that there is a need for a new Palestinian authority with “technocratic and good leaders” to quickly emerge to govern Gaza. He stated, “But perhaps most importantly of all, it is to give the Palestinian people a political horizon, so that they can see irreversible progress towards a two-state solution, and most importantly the establishment of a Palestinian state.”