Britain to recognise a Palestinian state
Newshour
BBC
4.4 • 984 Ratings
🗓️ 29 July 2025
⏱️ 47 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
UK will recognise Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a Gaza ceasefire and other conditions. Israel says the move rewards Hams.
Also in the programme: Ex-Colombian president Álvaro Uribe has been found guilty of witness-tampering; and an Australian woman - Joan Anderson - who went largely uncredited for her leading role in the creation of the hula hoop has died at the age of 101.
(Photo: UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer making a statement in Downing Street, London, following a Cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza. The UK will recognise the state of Palestine in September before the UN General Assembly, unless the Israeli government takes steps to end the "appalling situation" in Gaza, the Prime Minister has told the Cabinet. 29 July 2025. Credit: Toby Melville/PA Wire)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to NewsHour from the BBC World Service. I'm Celia Hatton, and I'm coming to you live from our studio in central London. |
| 0:11.9 | We're starting this edition of News Hour with news that's been unfolding here in the United Kingdom. |
| 0:18.2 | Just a few hours ago, the British Prime Minister Kier Starrmer announced |
| 0:22.0 | the UK will recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September, unless |
| 0:28.5 | Israel meets certain conditions in Gaza. It's a diplomatic decision that could carry huge |
| 0:35.5 | consequences for the once close allies, the UK and Israel. |
| 0:39.9 | And it comes on a day when the situation inside Gaza became even more acute. |
| 0:45.0 | The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said 60,000 people have now been killed since the October |
| 0:51.3 | 7th conflict with Israel began. A UN-backed report now says that the worst-case |
| 0:57.4 | scenario of famine is playing out inside Gaza. Now, we'll focus on the UK's fresh stance on Palestine. |
| 1:06.1 | Kirstarmer spoke after convening an emergency meeting with his cabinet on the situation in the Middle East. |
| 1:11.4 | Let's hear what he had to say. |
| 1:13.0 | Our goal remains a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. |
| 1:22.9 | But right now, that goal is under pressure like never before. |
| 1:30.0 | I've always said that we will recognize a Palestinian state |
| 1:33.2 | as a contribution to a proper peace process |
| 1:37.1 | at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution. |
| 1:42.7 | With that solution now under threat, this is the moment to act. |
| 1:48.0 | So today, as part of this process towards peace, I can confirm the UK will recognize the state of Palestine |
| 1:58.0 | by the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless the Israeli |
| 2:03.8 | government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire |
| 2:11.7 | and commit to a long-term sustainable peace reviving the prospect of a two-state solution. And this includes allowing |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in 20 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.