THE United Kingdom has a historical link to the current Israel-Palestine conflict. With the Balfour Declaration in 1917, Britain pledged to establish a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, despite Jews constituting less than 10 per cent of the population. Among the former Ottoman territories, Palestine was placed under UK administration by the League of Nations in 1922. While all of these territories eventually became fully independent states, Palestine did not.
Between 1922 and 1935, the British initiated the displacement of Palestinians to facilitate large-scale Jewish immigration, mainly from Eastern Europe. The influx of immigrants surged in the 1930s due to Nazi persecution. Then, in 1948, Zionist armed groups, who had been trained by the British, forcibly expelled over 750,000 Palestinians from their homeland. These actions sowed the seeds of a brutal conflict that would span decades.
Now, safeguarding its self-interest at home and abroad, the UK should take a leading role in establishing an independent Palestine alongside Israel. Widely known as the two-state solution, it is the most viable path to resolving one of the most entrenched global conflicts.
The war in Gaza has heightened community tensions in the UK. With thousands of Palestinians killed and millions displaced from their homes, Gaza appears to have been flattened like the Stone Age by Israeli bombings. Moreover, a man-made famine is looming, as reported by the UN. These events have divided Britons, resulting in a rise in both antisemitism and Islamophobia, and certain parts of London have now become no-go zones for Jewish people.
The bloodbath in Palestine has also cast a shadow over UK politics. Despite hundreds of thousands, including Jewish individuals, protesting every Saturday around Westminster against the Israeli genocide in Gaza, they are labelled as 鈥榟ate marchers鈥� by Suella Braverman, the former home secretary.听
Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian George Galloway secured a landslide win in a recent by-election in Rochdale and has dedicated his victory to the suffering people in Gaza. Describing his win as 鈥榖eyond horrifying,鈥� prime minister Rishi Sunak said that our democracy is under threat and urged the nation to come together against the poison of right-wing and Islamist extremists.
Some even argue that the massacre in Palestine could influence the outcome of the predicted October general election. As seen in Rochdale鈥檚 by-election, the tragedies in Gaza are likely to evoke strong emotions among voters and define certain constituency contests.
Britain鈥檚 interests on the world stage may also face growing challenges. Frustrated by the UK鈥檚 double standards 鈥� sending arms to Israel while providing aid to Palestine 鈥� its traditional allies in the oil-rich Gulf States are seeking new friends, including China and Russia. Despite Saudi crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman having met with both the Chinese and Russian presidents multiple times in the last year, he has postponed his much-anticipated meeting with the British prime minister twice in recent months.
Although Western governments traditionally pay lip service to a two-state solution, recent developments, however, suggest a shift in their approach. US president Joe Biden has recently sharpened his tone and appears ready to use America鈥檚 leverage against Israel more directly, including considering the replacement of Israel鈥檚 longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has adamantly opposed a Palestinian state.
Similarly, the UK鈥檚 foreign secretary, David Cameron, has threatened to withhold its arms supply if Israel were to invade the northern city of Rafah and unless aid is allowed into Gaza. He also indicated, during a visit to Lebanon on February 1, a willingness to recognise Palestine as an independent state after ending the current conflict.
Furthermore, the UN Security Council Resolution passed last week demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza marks a significant policy switch. Two of Israel鈥檚 strongest allies, the UK, voted in favour, while the US abstained, resulting in Israel鈥檚 near-total isolation on the world stage.
Sadly, both Israelis and Palestinians have horrifying reasons to believe that the other side wishes to kill or expel all of them. On October 7, 2023, Hamas killed and took hostages more than 1,200 Israeli civilians. In response, Israel has slaughtered over 33,000 Palestinians, with 13,000 children among them.
Yet, there are reasons to hope. On the day of the Hamas October 7 atrocities, numerous Arab-Israelis rushed to help their Jewish neighbours. Some were even murdered by Hamas for doing so. Despite hostility from many Jews, including government ministers, Arab-Israelis have gone on serving in Israeli institutions, from hospitals to government offices. And many Israelis not only condemn their government鈥檚 barbarity, but they also want to live peacefully with their Palestinian neighbours.
Yuval Noah Harari, one of the greatest historians and scholars of our time, believes a peaceful solution to this conflict is technically feasible. There is enough land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea to build houses, hospitals, schools, and roads for everyone. But it can be realised only if each side can honestly say that, even if it had unlimited power and zero restrictions, it would not wish to expel the other, he continues.
However, peace in the Middle East depends on establishing an independent Palestine. Let us hope that by leveraging its full diplomatic influence on the world stage, the UK will play a pivotal role in freeing the Palestinian people from what seems like a big, open prison. With former prime minister Cameron in charge of foreign affairs, Britain has an additional advantage in advancing the long-overdue Israel-Palestine accord. A British diplomat noted that Cameron 鈥榢nows a whole cast of senior Americans and other influential world leaders from his time in office, and as former PM, he is likely to receive a level of respect and access that others wouldn鈥檛.鈥�
Additionally, as a nation committed to human rights and international law, the UK has a moral obligation to support the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people, including their self-determination and statehood. This will help to heal the wounds inflicted by Britain on the Palestinian people for centuries, improve its relationship with Muslim countries further, and enhance its image worldwide.听
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Ismail Ali is an independent columnist based in London.