\n<\/p>\n
Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron told the Conservative Middle East Council that the U.K. is considering recognizing Palestine as a state.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should be starting to set out what a Palestinian state would look like \u2013 what it would comprise, how it would work,\u201d he said, according to Politico<\/a>. He added, \u201cAs that happens, we, with allies, will look at the issue of recognizing a Palestinian state, including at the United Nations. This could be one of the things that helps to make this process irreversible.\u201d<\/p>\n Cameron\u2019s words have been met with backlash.<\/p>\n Theresa Villiers, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Chipping Barnet, said a two-state solution would \u201creward Hamas\u2019 atrocities.\u201d<\/p>\n Similarly, politician Sir Michael Ellis said the effort would give \u201cdangerous actors\u201d the \u201ctrimmings and capabilities of a state,\u201d according to Sky News<\/a>.<\/p>\n MP Greg Smith noted that the \u201conly political objective in Gaza is inextricably linked to the security objectives in Gaza, because the grim reality is that Hamas does not seek a ceasefire and Israel cannot be reasonably expected to pursue one with a group that actively seeks its destruction,\u201d the outlet reported.<\/p>\n Foreign Office Minister Andrew Mitchell claimed that the U.K.\u2019s policy on the matter has not changed, The Irish News<\/a> explained.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no question of rewarding Hamas for the appalling acts they perpetrated in a pogrom on October 7,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cBut the point the Foreign Secretary has been making is that we must give the people of the West Bank and Gaza a credible route to a Palestine state and a new future, but we must do so when the time is right.\u201d<\/p>\n He added, \u201cThe British Government has always made it clear we intend to recognise a Palestinian state when the timing is right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe will have seen the comments of the Foreign Secretary last night, which in no way deviate from that policy, but the Foreign Secretary is pointing out how important it is to ensure that people can see that when a political track gets going, real progress can be made.\u201d<\/p>\n