Britain's recognition of Palestine is overshadowed by Israeli genocide

Palestinian ambassador Husam Zomlot faced a delicate balancing act as he spoke at Monday's momentous ceremony marking British recognition of the Palestinian state.

But he got the tone just about right.

Of course, recognition of statehood - though far too late - is welcome. But it comes against the background of remorseless Israeli war crimes and the slaughter of Palestinians.

"Please join me as we raise the flag of Palestine with its colours representing our nation," said Zomlot. "Black for our mourning, white for our hope, green for our land and red for the sacrifices of our people."

The crowd, perhaps 1,000 strong, cheered as the flag was raised, and history was made.

But Zomlot called on his audience to remember "that this recognition comes at a time of unimaginable pain and suffering, as a genocide is being waged against us - a genocide that is still being denied and allowed to continue with impunity".

Of course, recognition of statehood - though far too late - is welcome

As he spoke of genocide, I carefully studied the faces of the two senior members of the Starmer government present.

Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer's face slowly tightened into a rictus grin.

The term genocide is not permitted in British government circles. Ministers would rather not be reminded of their Israeli allies' daily slaughter in Gaza - the bodies rotting under the rubble, the starvation, the targeting of civilians.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting looked rather unwell, as if Zomlot had forced him to take some unpleasant medicine.

Political discomfort

Cynics might connect Streeting's presence at the Palestine Mission - today upgraded to embassy - in West London to the slender 589 majority in his Ilford North constituency.

Falconer was first to respond to Zomlot's powerful, well-judged oration. He addressed the largely Palestinian crowd with the steady, unhurried, toneless cadences of a speak-your-weight machine.

Follow Middle East Eye's live coverage of Israel's genocide in Gaza

Terrified of saying the wrong thing. Even more terrified of saying the right thing. A minister afraid of his own voice.

"Shame on you!" came a voice from the crowd. Falconer responded by decrying conditions in Gaza. A woman on my right shouted out, "Stop arming Israel."

I spotted Alf Dubs, the child refugee who escaped to Britain before World War II on the Kindertransport, among the crowd. The former Labour MP, now 93, has long campaigned for a Palestinian state. It was profoundly moving to witness the old campaigner in action.

Labour MP Andy Slaughter, whose support for Palestinian rights has involved personal sacrifice, was among the crowd.

Before the last election, Slaughter was singled out for ministerial office as shadow solicitor general. Then he defied the Labour whips and voted with the Scottish National Party for a ceasefire in November 2023, and was sacked for his trouble.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney - whose party has played such an honourable role in holding the government to account over Gaza - had made the long journey from Edinburgh.

Naturally, Jeremy Corbyn, former Labour leader and stalwart of the Palestinian cause, was present, as was the British-Palestinian Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who has family in Gaza.

It should be noted, as a matter of shame and disgrace, that not a single member of the Conservative Party front bench was present.

Recognition overshadowed

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel have both copied Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and nonsensically denounced UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's recognition of a Palestinian state as a surrender to Hamas.

UK: Why recognising a Palestinian state is not enough

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Nigel Farage (now being assiduously courted by Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar) and Tommy Robinson take the same line. Labour Friends of Israel, which sent a delegation to Tel Aviv at the height of the slaughter, is also opposed to recognition.

It is now obvious: Israel's crimes can only find supporters on the right and far right.

There was a sense of accomplishment among the crowd as it witnessed the Palestinian flag being raised outside the country's new West London embassy. That cannot be denied.

It was an important moment that all of us who were there will remember for the rest of our lives.

But there was no happiness, let alone joy, that an ambition for which so many present at the occasion had struggled for so long had at last been attained.

At the forefront of everyone's mind was Israel's carnage in Gaza and the Israeli settler violence that has spread like a virus through the West Bank.

It is welcome that Britain has at last recognised Palestinian statehood. But that recognition pales into insignificance while the genocide carries on from day to day without the slightest abatement.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.