Britain has vowed to continue its support for the two-state solution as Downing Street hosted a Palestinian prime minister for the first time in four years on Monday.
Mohammad Mustafa had an hour-long meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy, with the issue of Palestinian statehood high on the agenda.
There have been suggestions that the UK, possibly in conjunction with France, will at some point agree to recognise a Palestinian state as Israel continues its war on Gaza and restricts humanitarian aid into the enclave.
Mr Mustafa said he hoped to work with partners such as Britain “to overcome” the challenges Palestinians faced, after meeting Mr Starmer. “These are very difficult but I think it was a reminder that we need to deal with the root problem of all of this, which is the absence of the implementation of the two-state solution,” Mr Mustafa added.
Mr Starmer highlighted the “extremely challenging position, not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank” that was “deeply concerning to the whole world”. Securing a ceasefire and the entry of aid into Gaza “at speed and at volume” was key, before beginning to rebuild the enclave, he said.
“And also to make sure we never lose sight of the only really effective way that we will have peace, which is a two-state solution as part of the political process,” he added.
Before the meeting, Mr Lammy said he would “reaffirm the UK’s commitment to recognising a Palestinian state” as a contribution to the peace process, but “at a time that has the greatest impact”.
“We will not give up on the two-state solution, with a Palestinian state and Israel living side by side in peace, dignity and security,” he added.
Asked by The National if the leaders would discuss details of Britain’s recognition of a Palestinian state, the UK Prime Minister’s spokesman said the talks would reflect “our desire to further strengthen our relationship”.
The UK is expected to co-lead a panel with Egypt at a conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, a source told The National.
Among Mr Mustafa’s chief priorities will be to urge the UK to recognise the state of Palestine as soon as possible. He could stress that the UK has a historical obligation towards recognition, and that Palestinian sovereignty is a necessity to ending Israel’s occupation and bringing about peace.
The meeting at Downing Street comes as the International Court of Justice begins a week of hearings on Israel's blockade on humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Support for PA
Britain will sign a “landmark” agreement that the government said would “enshrine” its commitment to advancing Palestinian statehood as part of a two-state solution.
The deal will also emphasise that the Palestinian Authority is the “only legitimate governing entity” in Palestine. It will underline the importance of reunifying Gaza and the occupied West Bank under the authority of the PA.
From the Palestinian side, the agreement will see it deliver on its governance reform agenda “as a matter of priority”. In addition, Britain will provide a further £101 million ($133 million) humanitarian relief package that will help with the reforms, it was announced.
Part of that deal will be for Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza and allow the PA to take control, particularly of the reconstruction process.
The UK government will also want to hear Mr Mustafa outline the PA’s reform programme, with greater government transparency and an improvement to services to Palestinians.
Critical juncture
His visit, the first official trip by a Palestinian Prime Minister since 2021, comes at what the British government called a “critical juncture” for Palestinians.
“This visit marks a significant step in strengthening our relationship with the Palestinian Authority – a key partner for peace in the Middle East – at a critical moment,” Mr Lammy said.
While Israel is firmly opposed to a two-state solution, the UK’s decision to work more closely with the PA demonstrates it is committed to the plan for peace.
But an influential right-wing faction in the Israeli government is pushing for Gaza and the occupied West Bank to be annexed, rather than for any agreement to be reached with Palestinians.
In a statement after the meeting, Downing Street said the pair discussed the Arab Plan for Gaza, and “that Hamas must have no role in Gaza’s governance”.
The two leaders agreed that a “strategic political framework” was necessary for implementation of a two-state solution.
Mr Starmer said Britain would continue to work closely with the Palestinian Authority to find “lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike”.
Balancing act
The PA is seeking support from the international community to bring about a ceasefire and begin rebuilding Gaza. Israel’s western allies have said they will reject the presence of Hamas in any postwar government.
But the PA fear attempts to remove Hamas as a political force in the enclave would result in civil war. The PA's ruling party Fatah has been working towards an agreement with Hamas to end a decades-long feud that led to conflict in 2007.
The two parties agreed to form a joint committee to run the Gaza Strip after the war ends, at talks in Cairo in December last year.
The PA is working on reintegrating Gaza’s institutions, run by Hamas, with PA institutions in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, before the conference hosted by France and Saudi Arabia in June.
Political pressure is mounting on Hamas to agree to a ceasefire deal in Gaza, as Egypt, Qatar and the US mediate in talks. Palestinian officials are hopeful they are “approaching the end” of Hamas’s rule of Gaza, but have said they cannot prevent the group from playing a political role in the enclave in the long term.
