CAGE International, a UK advocacy organization, has criticized the UK government’s recent recognition of a Palestinian state, arguing that it comes decades too late and serves to obscure Britain’s complicity in the ongoing violence against Palestinians in Gaza.
Anas Mustapha, Head of Public Advocacy at CAGE, stated, “The UK government’s recognition of Palestine comes 77 years too late, without any accountability for Britain’s own role in establishing the Israeli settler colonial entity.” He emphasized that public opinion is unlikely to be swayed by Western leaders trying to portray a newfound moral stance after years of supporting what he describes as occupation and human rights violations.
Mustapha asserted that Israel’s actions have effectively precluded any viable two-state solution. “The only lasting solution for peace is the dismantling of the Israeli apartheid regime and ensuring liberation, justice, and dignity for the Palestinian people,” he added.
The UK, alongside Canada and Australia, has officially recognized a Palestinian state ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced this move on social media, stating, “Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the State of Palestine.” This recognition occurs more than a century after the Balfour Declaration, which supported the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, and 77 years post the creation of Israel in the territory formerly under British mandate.
In July, the UK government indicated a potential shift from its long-standing policy of postponing recognition, contingent on Israel ceasing its military actions, committing to a sustainable peace process that includes a two-state solution, and allowing greater humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), remarked, “Many Palestinians would have liked to celebrate this symbolic moment but they cannot. The reality is that recognition will not end the bombing, the famine, the genocide nor the system of apartheid that Palestinians are enduring.”
This recognition comes amid heightened tensions and accusations of human rights violations in the region, underscoring the complex dynamics at play in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Tags: UK, whitewash, complicity, genocide, Palestine
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