Winston Churchill's grandson urges Britain to recognise Palestinian state
Winston Churchill's grandson has urged the British government to recognise a Palestinian state in a significant intervention in British political discourse on the Middle East.
Lord Nicholas Soames, a former Conservative MP who served as a minister in John Major's government, spoke on Friday in the House of Lords in favour of a bill supporting British recognition of a Palestinian state.
"Recognising a Palestinian state on the 1967 lines, on the territory that Israel illegally occupied," Soames said, "would demonstrate that the government are committed equal-handedly to international law, are committed to a two-state solution and committed to Palestinian self-determination."
Soames, 77, has taken a stance in firm distinction to that of the Conservative leadership, which has promised unequivocal support for Israel.
The Labour government itself officially supports the creation of a Palestinian state "at the right time" and not unilaterally.
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But Soames' words carry significant weight. He is a prominent figure on the British political landscape - not just because of his own long record in politics, but also due to his family history.
'The UK ... cannot champion self-determination and statehood for the people of Ukraine while denying Palestinians the same right'
- Nicholas Soames
Soames' grandfather Winston Churchill, who led the country to victory against the Nazis in World War Two, is perhaps the most revered figure in British political history.
On Thursday evening at the parliamentary launch of The Britain Palestine Project, formerly named the Balfour Project, of which Soames is a patron, the peer described British recognition of the state of Palestine as "both morally right and firmly in our national interest".
Soames argued that such a move could play an important role in resolving the conflict: "With the two-state solution slipping away and peace talks stalled, UK recognition would galvanise diplomacy and send a clear message that the status quo is wholly unacceptable.
"Britain must leverage its diplomatic influence and convening power to support the delivery of the long-promised Palestinian state," he added.
'Midwife at the birth of Israel'
Soames said the UK's "failure to support Palestine’s UN membership bid" was "wrong in principle and has undermined Britain’s credibility and influence in the region".
He further pointed to Britain's historical role in the region, arguing it places particular responsibility on the nation to work towards a two-state solution.
Soames described the UK as a "midwife at the birth of Israel".
The Balfour Declaration, issued on 2 November 1917, committed the British government to support the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, provided nothing was done "to prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine".
As colonial secretary, Winston Churchill was charged in 1921 with implementing the Balfour Declaration. Later as prime minister during the war, he pushed for Israel's creation - and when he returned as premier in 1951 he pursued a strongly pro-Israel foreign policy.
His grandson Soames pointed out last Thursday that the rights of non-Jewish communities in Palestine outlined in the declaration "have clearly not been upheld, creating a historic injustice that should weigh heavily upon us in Britain.
"The UK must uphold equal standards, not double standards - we cannot champion self-determination and statehood for the people of Ukraine while denying Palestinians the same right."
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