Minister dismisses claims that recognising Palestinian state risks breaching international law – UK politics live

Gareth Thomas rejects arguments from 40 peers that move may be illegal under the Montevideo Convention, which sets out terms for statehoodGood morning. Keir Starmer has been widely criticised for his announcement on Monday that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel agrees a ceasefire in Gaza and commits to the two-state solution (which Benjamin Netanyahu’s government does not support). There have been two main objections. The Tories, and others, are mostly dismissing this as pointless, a gesture that will appease Labour MPs without having any practical, positive impact for Palestinians. The other line of attack argues that the move will have an impact, because it will reward Hamas for their attack on Israel, and incentivise them not to make peace or release the remaining hostages. This is what the Israeli government is saying, but the person who has made this argument most forcefully is Emily Damari, a British-Israeli woman held hostage by Hamas for more than a year. Her words have provided the Daily Mail with its splash.Today the decision is under fire on a third front. According to a story by Matt Dathan, Ali Mitib and Geraldine Scott on the Times front page, the move may be illegal. They say 40 members of the House of Lords have put this point to Lord Hermer, the attorney general, in a letter. They report:Some of Britain’s most prominent lawyers have warned Sir Keir Starmer that his government’s pledge to recognise a Palestinian state risks breaking international law.Their intervention, signed by 40 members of the House of Lords, said a Palestinian state would not meet the criteria for recognition as set out under the Montevideo Convention, a treaty signed in 1933 …We haven’t signed up to the Montevideo Convention, but is there a clear population in in Palestine? Yes, there is in Gaza and the West Bank.We have made clear that we think you would recognise the state of Palestine, and that state of Palestine would be based on the 1967 borders. Continue reading...

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