Palestinian people have 'inalienable right to independent statehood,' says UK minister
Two-state solution is 'the pathway to achieving just and lasting peace in the Middle East,' says UK Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer
A view of the completely demolished Al-Faraj Mosque on 20th Street in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp after Israeli warplanes attacks in Gaza City, Gaza on April 29, 2025.
LONDON
The UK Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer said on Tuesday that "Palestinian people have an inalienable right to self-determination, including to independent statehood."
He issued a statement in the House of Commons following the visit of Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa to the UK on Monday.
Falconer told MPs that the visit "reflects the UK's steadfast support for the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people at this critical juncture in the occupied Palestinian territories."
He emphasized the UK’s position that the PA is "the only legitimate governing entity in the occupied Palestinian territories, and it is important that Gaza and the West Bank are reunified under their authority."
The minister underlined the UK’s commitment to the two-state solution, calling it "the pathway to achieving just and lasting peace in the Middle East."
Outlining the UK's stance on the future governance of Gaza, Falconer said: "The UK is clear - the PA must have a central role in the next phase in Gaza. There can be no role for Hamas in the future of Gaza."
He further called on the group to "immediately release the hostages and relinquish control of Gaza."
"We discussed the gravity of the situation in Gaza, the West Bank, and east Jerusalem," he said. "We condemned the appalling suffering of civilians in Gaza, and agreed on the urgent need for a return to a ceasefire in Gaza, with the release of hostages and the unblocking of aid."
