London (TDI): The leaders of Britain, France, and Germany have jointly called on Israel to allow unrestricted humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning of a worsening catastrophe for civilians. The appeal came just hours after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would formally recognize a Palestinian state, a bold move that has stirred tension among Western allies.
In a joint statement following a trilateral call, Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz demanded an immediate ceasefire and condemned the continued obstruction of aid into the besieged territory.
“Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to civilians is unacceptable,” the leaders said, urging Israel to act. However, they stopped short of outlining any specific measures to enforce this position.
Macron’s declaration marks France as the first G7 country, and the most prominent European state, to formally back Palestinian statehood. He plans to finalize the recognition at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
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While the UK and Germany have long supported a two-state solution in principle, they’ve both held off on immediate recognition. Germany reiterated it sees Palestinian statehood as a “final step” in peace negotiations, while London has signaled it’s edging closer under growing political pressure.
That pressure is mounting. On Friday, 221 British MPs, including many from Starmer’s own Labour Party, signed a letter urging immediate recognition. Health Secretary Wes Streeting echoed the sentiment, warning that delay may leave “no state left to recognize.”
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Speaking after the call, Starmer condemned multiple aspects of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, from the continued captivity of hostages to the targeting of civilian infrastructure and rising violence from Israeli settler groups. He stressed that statehood must be part of a broader diplomatic roadmap.
“I’m absolutely clear that recognition of a Palestinian state must be a step toward a just and lasting peace,” he said. “But it needs to happen as part of a wider plan that delivers genuine security and dignity for both peoples.”
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
