The United Kingdom is preparing to recognize a sovereign Palestinian state if Israel does not make progress in ending the conflict in Gaza. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the surprise decision on Tuesday in a written handout at a meeting of his Cabinet.

Keir Starmer has announced that the UK will officially recognise a Palestinian state by the time of the next full UN meeting in September, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza before then.

The French president, expressing a moral obligation to address suffering in Gaza, made clear he had lost patience with the United States and Israel. The question is what effect he will have.