Keir Starmer has said the UK will recognise Palestinian statehood in September, unless Israel allows more aid into Gaza, stops land annexation in the West Bank, and agrees to a ceasefire and peace talks.
The PM said Hamas would also have to release all hostages, disarm, and give up any claim to a governing role in Gaza before the UK would acknowledge Palestine as an independent state – a symbolic move that would legitimise Palestine's right to self-determination.
Which countries recognise Palestine?
Of the 193 UN member countries, 140 already recognise Palestinian statehood, including Russia, China, India and several EU member states.
Palestine is not a member of the UN but does have "permanent non-member observer" status, meaning it can participate in discussions but is not able to vote on UN resolutions. Some would say this status means "it is de facto recognised as a state already", said The Times.
Why has the UK decided to do this now?
Britain may be one of Israel's strongest European allies but it has consistently pushed for a two-state solution to successive conflicts between Israel and Palestine, and had hoped to use recognition as a tool to that end. Starmer has waited until his announcement "would have the most impact", his allies claim, and he's still "holding back recognition" to try to push Israel to meet his conditions, said the Financial Times.
What difference would recognition make?
In a practical sense, it makes little difference to Palestinians on the ground, unless Britain also suspends or reduces its military and economic partnership with Israel – something it is unlikely to do. It does, however, mean that Palestine can open formal diplomatic relations with the UK.
The hope is that the UK's promise of recognition will encourage other states to do the same, increasing pressure on Israel to scale back its operations in Gaza and make steps towards a two-state solution. Israel has so far remained steadfast in its rebuttal of the notion, with Benjamin Netanyahu saying that a Palestinian state would be a "launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it". | 
