DayofPal— Hundreds of prominent Muslim organizations, community leaders, and individuals across the UK have called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to formally recognize the State of Palestine and immediately halt all military support to Israel.
The demands were made in a strongly worded letter coordinated by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which is set to be delivered to 10 Downing Street on Tuesday. The letter accuses the UK government of complicity in genocide in Gaza.
“For the past 18 months, we have seen the indiscriminate slaughter of Palestinians daily and found very little support from the government to take practical steps to prevent this,” the letter states.
It condemns what it sees as the UK’s contradictory stance, issuing vague statements of concern while continuing to supply weapons components, conduct surveillance flights, and permit UK citizens to join the Israeli military.
The letter also criticizes the government’s treatment of Palestinians seeking refuge in the UK, contrasting it with the warm welcome extended to Ukrainian refugees after Russia’s invasion.
“Although the two conflicts have their unique features, the Palestinian civilians being killed in their tens of thousands are no less human and no less deserving of the right to self-determination and safety,” the letter reads.
The signatories issued four main demands: The immediate facilitation of humanitarian aid into Gaza, a halt to all UK arms exports and military assistance to Israel, a call for an end to mass killings and the release of all hostages and prisoners, and the he formal recognition of Palestine as a sovereign and independent state.
The appeal comes on the same day Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.
The UK government announced a £101 million aid package to the occupied Palestinian territories, and Lammy signed a memorandum of understanding to support recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a future two-state solution.
Wajid Akhter, secretary general of the MCB, said the letter reflected the British Muslim community’s desire for a “foreign policy rooted in justice, humanity and international law.”
“We have rightly mobilized a coalition of the willing to oppose Russia’s illegal occupation of Ukraine, yet the illegal occupation of Palestine and the mass killing of Palestinian civilians is met with silence,” Akhter said. “We urge Prime Minister Keir Starmer to show moral leadership and act swiftly.”
He added that Britain has a historic opportunity to lead on the global stage. “Nearly 150 countries already recognize a Palestinian state. If Britain delays, it risks being on the wrong side of history,” he warned.
While Labour has pledged support for Palestinian statehood, the government has said recognition should occur “at the right time” and not be taken unilaterally.
The letter has been signed by a broad coalition including UK mosques, Muslim charities, and grassroots organisations.
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