The petition of residents of the constituency of Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North
Declares that the residents believe that the UK should recognise Palestinian statehood.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to recognise Palestinian statehood.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Liam Byrne, Official Report, 03 September 2025; Vol. 772, c. 410.]
[P003108]
Observations fromthe Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr Hamish Falconer):
On 22 September 2025, the Foreign Secretary made the following statement at the meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York:
“I stand before you today, beneath the emblem of the United Nations, to confirm the historic decision of the British Government to recognise the State of Palestine. This step, alongside friends and partners, reflects a long-standing truth. That statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and that two states is the only path to security and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
But it also reflects a grave reality. The two-state solution that for decades has commanded global support is in profound peril. From continued bloodshed, man-made famine, terrorism and hostage taking, settlement expansion and settler violence. Hamas terrorists continue to hold hostages seized in the barbaric attack of 7 October, prolonging the unimaginable anguish of their families. In Gaza, the unbearable humanitarian catastrophe worsens as the Netanyahu Government choose to escalate war and hold back aid; children dying of starvation while food rots at the border. And settlement expansion threatens the very viability of a Palestinian state.
The two-state solution risks disappearing beneath the rubble. That is what extremists on all sides want. But we refuse to let hope be lost. Recognition is borne of urgency and principle, alongside our unwavering support for the security of Israel and its people. This pathway is the opposite of Hamas’s hateful vision. And this process around recognition has helped cement the rejection of Hamas across the Arab world, alongside new reforms to the Palestinian Authority, because there can be no role for Hamas in the future governance of Palestine.
But recognition must be a spur, not a substitute for urgent action: a ceasefire now, the release of all hostages, the restoration of aid and a lasting framework for peace. Recognition is about the future, but it is rooted in our past. 75 years ago, Britain was rightly proud to recognise the State of Israel. But the promise of upholding Palestinian rights has gone unfulfilled. For decades, my country supported a two-state solution but only recognised one state. That changes now.”
Declares that there is a genocide taking place in Palestine.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to immediately cut off all military and economic relations with Israel.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Rachael Maskell, Official Report, 22 July 2025; Vol. 771, c. 811.]
[P003105]
Observations fromthe Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr Hamish Falconer):
Since coming to power in July 2024, this Government have worked to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas, the unrestricted flow of aid into Gaza to tackle the escalating humanitarian crisis, and the restoration of a path to long-term peace and stability in the middle east.
Over the past 15 months, we have taken decisive action in support of these goals, including restoring funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, providing nearly £250 million in development assistance, co-ordinating international efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, and evacuating groups of sick and injured children to receive medical treatment in the UK. We suspended negotiations on a new trade deal with Israel, suspended the export of arms and military equipment that could be used in Gaza, and imposed three rounds of sanctions on violent Israeli settlers and members of the Israeli Cabinet. And, after signing a landmark agreement with the Palestinian Authority to support their ambitious reform agenda, we took the historic step last month of formally recognising a Palestinian state, with no future role for Hamas, to protect the viability of a two-state solution and create a path towards a just and lasting peace, with security for the Israeli and Palestinian people alike.
We are now working tirelessly with our partners across the world to build support and momentum for the US peace initiative, which offers the quickest and most effective path to achieving the goals that we have been working towards over the past year. There is a long way still to go, but at this time we believe the efforts of all Governments should be focused on supporting that effort to stop the bloodshed, release the hostages, end the humanitarian crisis and restore a framework for peace. We fully understand the strength of feeling on this issue among the petitioners, but if their ultimate goal is to see an end to the war and humanitarian suffering in Gaza, then we hope they will in turn accept our sincerely held view that the quickest and most effective way to pursue that goal is through the current peace initiative, based on the months of groundwork that the UK has done alongside our international partners to give that initiative the best chance of success. We will not rest until there is a ceasefire in Gaza, the hostages are returned and a flood of aid reaches those in desperate need.