Email your MP: Recognise Palestine now, Sir Keir: it's time to lead, not follow

British diplomat and former Ambassador Sir Vincent Fean has sent us this urgent letter from Andrew Whitley, Chair of the Britain Palestine Project:

Today there is a rare chance to persuade our Government to take positive action on Palestine/Israel. France aims to recognise the state of Palestine by June. Our Government has been dragging its feet, despite a clear Labour manifesto commitment. Please consider writing to your MP urging our Prime Minister to act before June. Historically and morally, it is us British who have "form" on Palestine. Recognition of Palestine supports the Palestinian right to self-determination, which Mr Netanyahu seeks to destroy.

Recognition is not the only action our Government needs to take. But it is do-able, and there are signs that the Government is considering emulating France.

Now is the time to press the point.

The suggested letter is set out below.

Click here to insert your postcode into the draft, which you can then send to your MP, personalising the letter if you wish.

The draft letter follow below

Dear [MP's name],

May I ask you to transmit the following message to our Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, and let me know your own thoughts:

Please recognise the state of Palestine now, before France and others put us to shame.

By June, President Macron intends to recognise the State of Palestine alongside Israel on the land Israel occupied in 1967, giving momentum to his commendable Middle East Peace initiative with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. France is encouraging other states to recognise Palestine simultaneously. Britain, not France, has direct historic responsibilities with regard to Palestine, and a duty to fulfil. The Labour Party made a manifesto commitment to recognise Palestine. The Foreign Secretary said last July "We are committed to Palestinian recognition. We hope to work with partners to achieve that, when the circumstances are right". On 28 April, he said "The UK is committed to urgently advancing Palestinian statehood as a key part of a two-state solution - the only path to lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians".

There is indeed urgency. Now is the time.

Britain should throw its full weight behind the French/Saudi peace initiative by recognising the state of Palestine before the June conference. Our Government should give a lead now in Europe and the Commonwealth, by recognising both states in the two-state solution - the bipartisan policy of successive British Governments. British recognition affirms the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and preserves the prospect of genuine Palestinian self-government.

British recognition is wholly consistent with international law, which our Prime Minister has pledged to uphold without fear or favour. Soon after our Government took office, the International Court of Justice delivered advice that the Israeli occupation of 1967 is "unlawful", and called upon all UN member states to work to end the occupation "as rapidly as possible". Britain prolongs that unlawful occupation by failing to recognise the state of Palestine on the territory which Israel must leave.

The French/Saudi initiative presents a golden opportunity. There will not be a better time for Britain to act. The Government of Israel is not listening to reason, nor acting lawfully in the long-term interests of its people. It is working systematically to prevent Palestinian self-determination. Our Government seeks "a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state". Sir Keir should reaffirm that aim when recognising the state of Palestine alongside Israel, now.