Prominent Muslim groups call on Starmer to recognise Palestine and cease arms exports to Israel
Hundreds of prominent Muslim organisations and individuals have signed a letter urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state and cease all military support to Israel.
The letter is set to be delivered to 10 Downing Street on Tuesday by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB).
"For the past 18 months, we have seen the indiscriminate slaughter of Palestinians daily and found very little support from the government to take practical steps to prevent this," the letter reads
"Beyond vague and equivocating statements, the actions have been the opposite; including the supply of weapons parts, surveillance flights or allowing the free passage of UK citizens to join the [Israeli army]."
It goes on to say that while Ukrainian refugees were welcomed "with open arms" following Russia's invasion, Starmer "vowed to close the loophole" when a Palestinian family from Gaza sought to use the same system to find asylum.
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"Although the two conflicts have their unique features, the Palestinian civilians being killed in their tens of thousands are no less human and no less deserving of the right to self-determination and safety," the letter said.
"As British citizens, we cannot in good conscience accept our nation’s involvement or hollow words of condemnation in what is described by multiple agencies, bodies and experts as a genocide."
The signatories went on to make four demands on the UK government: to urge the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, to immediately cease all arms exports and military support to Israel's government, to demand an end to mass killings and the return of all hostages and prisoners, and to recognise Palestine as a sovereign and independent state.
It came on the same day that Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with Mohammad Mustafa, the Palestinian Authority prime minister.
The UK announced a package of £101m in support to the occupied Palestinian territories, while Lammy signed a memorandum of understanding with Mustafa to recognise a Palestinian state as part of a two state solution.
'Show moral leadership'
Tuesday's letter was signed by representatives from several mosques across the UK, as well as Muslim charities and community groups.
Wajid Akhter, secretary general of the MCB, said that British Muslim communities were "simply calling for a foreign policy rooted in justice, humanity and international law".
"We have rightly mobilised a coalition of the willing to oppose Russia’s illegal occupation of Ukraine, yet the illegal occupation of Palestine and the mass killing of Palestinian civilians is met with silence," Akhter said. "We urge Prime Minister Keir Starmer to show moral leadership and act swiftly."
He went on to say that Britain could lead international efforts towards ending the conflict and recognising a Palestinian state.
Nearly 150 countries recognise a Palestinian state, including, as of last year, Norway, Spain and Ireland. France recently indicated that it may recognise Palestine in June.
The UK's Labour government has said it officially supports the creation of a Palestinian state "at the right time" and not unilaterally.
"It would be a tragedy if Britain was to miss this opportunity to be on the right side of history and to lead on an issue that every government has been committed to but not acted on," said Akhter.
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