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- Gareth Thomas: ‘The Palestinians have an inalienable right to statehood’
- Peers cite Montevideo Convention mandating conditions for statehood, but Britain not a signatory
LONDON: A government minister in the UK has rejected claims that plans to recognize Palestine breach international law.
It came after an influential group of House of Lords peers wrote to the attorney general warning against the move by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who had earlier this week pledged to recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel fails to reach a ceasefire with Hamas, among other conditions.
The group of 38 peers wrote to Lord Hermer in a letter that said Starmer’s pledge may be unlawful under the 1933 Montevideo Convention.
The treaty mandates certain conditions for statehood, which the peers warned a Palestinian state may not fulfill.
Business Minister Gareth Thomas, however, told Sky News on Thursday that the UK is not signed up to the Montevideo Convention.
“I respect the views of those lawyers, but in the end, recognition of a state is a political judgment, and we’ve been very clear that our judgment is that the Palestinians have an inalienable right to statehood,” he said.
“I don’t think we are in breach of international law. We’re not signed up to the Montevideo Convention. We’re clear what needs to happen,” he added.
“The fact that so many other countries have either already recognized the state of Palestine, or are joining our efforts to recognize the state of Palestine, I think is very significant.”
Among other conditions demanded by Starmer from Israel are the entry of more aid into Gaza, an end to land grabs in the West Bank, and a commitment to a long-term peace process.
The peers’ letter claimed that Palestine “does not meet the international law criteria for recognition of a state, namely, defined territory, a permanent population, an effective government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.” There is no certainty over Palestine’s borders and no single government, they added.