British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce the official recognition of the Palestinian state this Sunday, in a statement to be made public this afternoon.
This move represents a profound change in the UK's foreign policy, as previous governments had maintained that recognition of a Palestinian state should only occur as part of a peace process and at a time of maximum diplomatic influence, the BBC reports.
The statement follows warnings Starmer made in July, when he said Britain would change its position in September if Israel did not meet certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza and committing to a sustainable peace process that would lead to a two-state solution.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the Israeli government, families of hostages in Gaza, and some British Conservative MPs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously called the move an act that "rewards terrorism."
British government sources say the situation on the ground in Gaza has deteriorated significantly in recent weeks, with stark images of hunger and violence, which Starmer has described as "unbearable".
The ministers stressed that the country has a moral responsibility to act, to keep hopes for peace alive and to send a clear signal about the need for a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
