Gavin Grey: UK and Europe Correspondent on the UK and France planning on recognising Palestine as a state unless Israel agrees to ceasefire

Israel's rejected the UK's moves to recognise Palestine as a state at a UN meeting in September. 

The UK and France will both do so, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire. 

New Zealand isn't among the 139 countries that recognise a Palestinian state, but last year Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated it's a question of when, not if. 

UK and Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge Israel's rejected the move, stating it harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. 

He says this comes amid huge pressure in Gaza, with 60 thousand now killed during Israeli action there. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And Gavin Gray are UK europe correspondent given welcome to
the show.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hither run.

Speaker 1 (00:04):
So Kirs Starmer's come out and basically joined the French
saying to Israel, if you don't sort out a ceasefire
by September by this UN meeting, then we'll recognize Palestinian state.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yeah, this is quite a change of tactic here by
the British and buy Indeed, Sirkir Starmer himself, who has
really shrugged off demands from his own MPs and others,
saying the situation in Gaza is so bad now we
really need to demand a two state solution to this.
Just a few days ago, two hundred and twenty one
MPs from nine parties urged the recognition of a Palestinian state,

(00:41):
many of them from the Labor Government, Sakir Starmer's own
Labor party. So what they're saying is unless Israel meets
certain conditions, and those conditions are substantive steps to end
the appalling situation in Gaza, including a ceasefire and the
commitment of long term peace process to then the UK

(01:02):
will officially at the UN meeting, along with France, basically
recognize Palestinian state. So France was going to be the
first G seven country to do it. Now it's looking
like the first and second will do it at the
same time. This, as I said, is a huge U turn,
but amid huge pressure as well and terrible, terrible headlines.
Sixty thousand now killed in Gaza, it's been estimated during

(01:24):
the Israeli action there, the UN Agency saying famine is
now playing out on a wide scale. Israel says no starvation,
and of the UK's latest move, Israel says it rejects
the statement it's rewarding hammers for the October twenty twenty
three attack, and also says that the British move harms
efforts for a ceasefar.

Speaker 1 (01:42):
Meanwhile, Trump's wrapping up his trip to Scotland golf tru.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yes on his way on his way back home after
four days here in the UK in what I can
only describe as a sort of private trip and a
business trip but funded by the American taxpayer. The visiting
of two golf courses, okay, the long discussion of course
with the UK Prime Minister Sekleir Starmer, the announcement of
the trade deal with the EU, and today a conversation

(02:09):
that was said to be up to about fifteen to
twenty minutes with John Swinney, the First Minister of Scotland.
The main thing was discussing whiskey tariffs. John Swinney is
desperate that this business, worth one point nine billion New
Zealand dollars last year, is going to be hit by
the ten percent tariffs that Donald Trump has imposed. Donald

(02:31):
Trump said he didn't realize that tariffs were going to
affect the industry so much. So maybe, just maybe John
Swinney's words might get the tax break for the whiskey industry,
but I wouldn't hold your breath. Donald Trump apparently not
a big whiskey fan.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
No, doesn't drink at all. Appreciate Thatkevin Gray, you correspondent.
For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live
to News Talks.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
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