By Staff, The Guardian

Nearly 60 Labor MPs have urged the UK government to immediately recognize the State of Palestine, following alarming revelations of a planned mass displacement of Gaza’s population by the "Israeli" government.

The call comes in response to an announcement by the apartheid “Israeli” entity’s war minister outlining a plan to forcibly relocate all Palestinians in Gaza to a camp amid the ruins of Rafah, effectively trapping them at the southernmost tip of the Strip.

In a letter sent Thursday to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, the MPs—including a cross-section of Labor’s centrist and left-wing factions—warned that what is unfolding in Gaza constitutes ethnic cleansing. “It is with great urgency and concern that we are writing to you,” the letter stated, referencing the defense minister’s explicit plans to forcibly transfer the entire population of Gaza without exit options.

Quoting leading “Israeli” lawyer Michael Sfard, who described the plan as “an operational plan for crimes against humanity,” the MPs went further, asserting: “Though an accurate description, we believe there is a clearer one: the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.”

The signatories called on the UK government to take five concrete steps, some of which are already in motion—such as increased funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees [UNRWA] and efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. Other measures, however, go much further, including the imposition of a trade blockade on "Israeli" settlements in the occupied West Bank and the immediate diplomatic recognition of a Palestinian state.

“By not recognizing [Palestine] as a state, we undermine our own policy of a two-state solution and set an expectation that the status quo can continue, enabling the effective erasure and annexation of Palestinian territory,” the MPs warned.

The letter was issued shortly after French President Emmanuel Macron publicly advocated for Palestinian statehood at a press conference alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Macron called for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, emphasizing that European values must reject “double standards” and uphold the principle of territorial integrity.

“Today, working together in order to recognize the state of Palestine and to initiate this political momentum is the only path to peace,” Macron said, directly pressuring the UK and its allies.

The UK government has reiterated its commitment to recognizing Palestinian statehood “when it will have the most impact in support of a peace process,” though no timeline or criteria have been provided. A Foreign Office spokesperson stated: “We are committed to recognizing a Palestinian state and to doing so when it will have most impact in support of a peace process.”

Several European countries have already granted recognition to Palestine, while others, including France, are pressuring allies such as the UK to follow suit collectively.

This marks the second time in recent weeks that Labor MPs have sent a letter urging recognition of Palestinian statehood. Unlike the previous correspondence, this letter publicly reveals the names of the 59 signatories, including prominent MPs such as Sarah Owen and Andrew Pakes, co-chairs of Labor Friends of Palestine and the Middle East; Liam Byrne, chair of the business select committee; and notable backbenchers Diane Abbott, Clive Lewis, Stella Creasy, and Dawn Butler.

The Foreign Office has been contacted for further comment.