Sadiq Khan, the elected mayor of London, has demanded that the British government recognises a Palestinian state. Taking to social media, he asserted
The UK must immediately recognise Palestinian statehood.
There can be no two state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine.
The Mayor of London’s office has no role in foreign policy, and the suggestion is phrased in a way that suggests Gaza and not the West Bank would be central to the proposed state.
Mayor Khan’s declaration coincides with increased pressure on Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer to announce UK recognition of a Palestinian state, following the recent policy utterances of French president Emmanuel Macron on the matter. Whereas Western European politicians seem to think that recognising Palestinian statehood would bring peace in Gaza closer, Israel sees such moves as rewarding Hamas terror.
The London Jewish Forum responded, claiming that the Mayor’s proposal “risks deepening division.” According to the London-based Jewish Leadership Council
The community fabric in this country is under ever increasing strain …. UK unilateral recognition of a Palestinian State will not call one into existence or improve the humanitarian situation for Palestinian civilians. We are therefore deeply disappointed that the Mayor of London has chosen to intervene in support of a gesture to the detriment of community relations in the city he represents.
Instances of City Hall ‘foreign policy’ such as this continue to show that Mayor Khan has his priorities wrong.
