UK 'deeply committed' to recognizing Palestinian state, says business secretary

The UK government is "deeply committed" to recognizing a Palestinian state, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said, emphasizing that such recognition must be part of a broader move towards lasting peace in the region.

Speaking on LBC Radio on Thursday, Reynolds said, "We are deeply committed to the recognition of Palestine as a state, which was part of our manifesto, but obviously we want that to be meaningful."

"Now, at the minute, there is not a Palestinian state there. There is no political agreement between the two principal Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Gaza," he added.

Reynolds outlined several steps the UK has taken in response to the ongoing crisis in Gaza, indicating a shift in government policy.

"We've obviously sanctioned two Israeli cabinet ministers. I myself have ended arms exports to Israel that could be used in the conflict in Gaza. We've ended our talks with Israel on a more enhanced trade agreement and trade relationship. So we have taken those immediate steps," he added.

Israel has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in the Gaza Strip since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, collapsed the health system, and led to severe food shortages.

Later this month, France and Saudi Arabia are co-chairing an international conference on Palestinian statehood at the UN in New York.

French President Emmanuel Macron told British parliamentarians on a visit this month that a two-state solution was "the only way" to build peace and stability in the region.