BREAKING: Keir Starmer says UK prepared to recognise Palestine in weeks in warning to Israel

Britain is prepared to recognise the state of Palestine in September unless Israel agrees a ceasefire in Gaza, Keir Starmer has said.

The Prime Minister said the Palestinian people have "endured terrible suffering" with "catastrophic failure of aid" in a statement from Downing Street. He added: "We see starving babies, children too weak to stand, images that will stay with us for a lifetime. The suffering must end."

It came as the Prime Minister held an emergency Cabinet meeting to discuss a peace plan for the region. He had summoned ministers back from the summer recess to discuss the proposals, which have been shared with France, Germany and US President Donald Trump.

Downing Street said the PM "opened by saying that he had called the meeting to address the situation in Gaza which was getting more desperate by the day".

On recognition of the state of Palestine, No10 added: "He said that because of the increasingly intolerable situation in Gaza and the diminishing prospect of a peace process towards a Two State Solution, now was the right time to move this position forward.

"He said that the UK will recognise the state of Palestine in September, before UNGA, unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a Two State Solution. "

Over 250 MPs from across the Commons have signed a letter last week calling on the government to recognise a Palestinian state immediately. Last week the French President Emmanuel Macron said his government would do so at a meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York in September.

But Mr Trump shot back, telling reporters at the White House last week: "What he says doesn't matter.... he's a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn't carry weight."

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