The meetings take place after UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy suspends trade negotiations with Israel
Negotiations will begin on Friday at an official level about the possibility of recognition of the state of Palestine.
A High Arab Diplomat in London said: “If you asked me two weeks ago if there would be a broader recognition [da Palestina] By Western states, I would have said no, but now I’m not so sure. ”
United Kingdom Secretary of Foreign Affairs, David Lammy, suspended commercial negotiations with Israel on Tuesday and described his refusal to suspend the blockade of help Gaza as “abominable.”
Lammy spoke with Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar on Wednesday about barriers that prevent the arrival of humanitarian aid.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said this week: “We cannot leave Gaza’s children a legacy of violence and hatred. Therefore, all this needs to end, which is why we are determined to recognize a Palestinian state.”
Events take place before a UN -sponsored conference in New York, which will begin on June 17 and will be co -organized by Saudi Arabia and France.
The authorities present at the Conference will have to discuss the context for such recognition of the State of Palestine. One question is whether there would be a parallel recognition of Israel by states such as Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, something considered impossible in the absence of a clear path to a two -state solution.
Israel vehemently opposes a solution of two states. The new US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabe, in an interview with Haarezt newspaper, has resisted the idea by saying, “I’m asking if there really is a Palestinian state.”
One of the questions under discussion is whether the recognition of Palestine would have implications for companies or individuals who sell in occupied territories.
The UK ministers do not expect to announce new measures in the near future, but neither Jordan nor the United Kingdom ruled out the use of air releases, as was tempted last year.
Parliamentarians are concerned that weapons companies may be using the partial nature of the ban on the export of weapons imposed last September by the UK to send armament to Israel for use in Gaza, violating a commitment of the ministers.
Three ministers responsible for the exports of weapons to Israel were summoned by the Parliament Committee that supervises the UK exports to explain possible gaps in the rules.
Liam Byrne, chairman of the Select Business Committee, ordered the Minister of Commerce, Douglas Alexander, and the relevant ministers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense to offer urgent explanations.
In his letter, Byrne raises concerns about the statistics published on Friday, which showed that in the fourth quarter of 2024-after the imposition of the partial ban on weapons export to Israel by the Labor Party-the UK government approved licenses to £ 127.6 million in military equipment for Israel. This number is higher than the combined total from 2020 to 2023, according to the campaign against the Arms Trade.
Asked about these numbers by independent deputy Zarah Sultana in the House of Common on Tuesday, Foreign Secretary, Lammy, said he did not recognize the number and accused her of sensationalism. He assured parliamentarians: “They are not coming to Israel weapons that could be used in Gaza.”
However, the latest figures show that the government has authorized more than £ 61 million in single -user military products in Israel. These licenses included product categories that cover target system systems, ammunition and parts of military aircraft.
In his letter, Byrne pointed out that the ministers guaranteed parliamentarians that the prohibition covered “equipment that we evaluated to use in the current conflict in Gaza, as important components that go to military aircraft, including hunting aircraft, helicopters and drones, as well as items that facilitate the selection of land targets.”
He asked for an explanation of the increase and proportion of weapons for the Israeli state.
He also requested the disclosure of statistics on the number of licenses that have been changed to remove Israel as end user.
Last week, the Higher Court conducted a four-day judicial review of the UK government’s allegation that it was legal for the UK to sell components for F-35 fighters indirectly to Israel, although there was a recognized ministerial acceptance that these pieces could be transferred to use in airplanes to bomb Gaza.
Originally published by The Guardian on 21/05/2025
By Patrick Wintour – Diplomatic Editor
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/05/22/comecam-as-negociacoes-sobre-o-reconhecimento-do-estado-da-palestina-pelos-estados-ocidentais/
