The leader of Labour party in UK, Keir Starmer, has urged Prime Minister to push for official recognition of Palestine as a state in the coming G7 summit.
“The appalling violence recently which killed 63 children in Gaza and two children in Israel shows just how urgent this is,” Keir Starmer remarked during the latest Prime Minister Question session at British parliament.
“For too many people in Palestine the promise of an end to the occupation and the recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state feels more distant than ever.”
Starmer also called on G7 leaders to use their leverages to put an end to the illegal expansion of Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem. He believes that the peace process could start when the world powers support the achievement of these preconditions.
“So will the prime minister take the opportunity this weekend to press for renewed agreement to finally recognize a state of Palestine and to stop expansion of illegal settlements and to get a meaningful peace process back and running.”
Johnson’s planned bilateral discussions with US President Joe Biden, as well as the “prospect of a new administration in Israel,” gave a “genuine potential” to reopen discussions, according to Starmer.
String of Accusations
Starmer’s remarks came after he was reprimanded for his position on Palestinian issue. The Labour leader also bare accusations for undermining the support of members of ethnic minority groups within the party for Palestine.
Members of the party recently blasted Starmer for the party’s delayed and equivocal reactions to Israeli policies in Sheikh Jarrah. Israel’s plan to evict Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem led to further tensions last months.
Labour members also criticized the party’s response to Israeli violence at al-Aqsa Mosque followed by its full-scale assaults against Gaza. More than 250 Palestinians lost their lives as a result.
Two months ago, Starmer also ignored a letter from dozens of British-Palestinian Labour Party members. The members expressed their deep worries over an internal treatment.
The letter condemned the party for creating a toxic climate for Palestinians under Starmer’s leadership.
During the Islamic Ramadan month, Starmer faced condemnations for cancelling an iftar ritual only due to the fact that one of organizers was pro-BDS movement.
In May, the Labour leader’s virtual participation in “Open Iftar”, a fast-breaking ritual by the Ramadan Tent Project was abruptly called off.
British-Palestinian Labour members have attributed the bad internal conduct they faced during the previous months to broader worries among Britain’s Black and Asian populations. They claim that Labour party headquarter is undermining the support of these groups in a purposeful process of marginalization.
Threat Signals
George Galloway’s campaign has focused on recent Israeli-Palestinian violence, and he has received support from local Muslim leaders who claim they are dissatisfied with Labour political positions.
Galloway is the new challenger of Starmer for Labour leadership. “Labour is in a state of total panic about my candidacy – they may not have said that to you, but you can work it out. I want Starmer out. I want to beat Labour myself, but my second prize is that New New Labour under Keir Starmer lose,” he has said.
The Huffington Post published another indication if Starmer’s changing tone and policy toward Muslim members at the party. In a letter he sent to the prime minister, Starmer asked for Johnson’s apology for “offensive and discriminatory comments” about Muslim women.
According to the Huff Post report, Johnson analogized the Muslim women with face covers to “letterboxes” and “bank robbers” in an essay he wrote for Daily Telegraph three years ago. The critics believe that the remarks contain derision of a minority group inside the country.
