22 September 2025

The East London Mosque (ELM) welcomes the UK Government's long-overdue recognition of the State of Palestine. Britain now joins 150 other countries – the vast majority of the 193 UN member states – in aligning with international law and global consensus, affirming the Palestinian people's fundamental right to statehood and self-determination.

The UK's recognition is not only a moral imperative but also the payment of a historical debt, rooted in Britain’s century-long role in denying Palestinian rights, beginning with the 1917 Balfour Declaration.

This decision nevertheless comes at the darkest moment in the history of Palestine, as Israel continues its ongoing genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in the illegally occupied West Bank (recognised as illegal by the International Court of Justice).

While recognition is an important step forward, it cannot end there. 

We are deeply concerned that Britain remains among a dwindling minority refusing to acknowledge Israel’s assault as genocide, despite overwhelming evidence. This refusal has given license for the continuation of diplomatic and economic ties with Tel Aviv, sustaining the very culture of impunity fuelling the ongoing atrocities in Gaza.

The UN Commission has made clear findings, leading human rights organisations have reached consensus, and renowned genocide scholars have determined that Israel's actions meet the legal definition of genocide. Yet our government persists in denying the full extent of the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel.

Recognition without action risks becoming an empty gesture. We therefore urge the UK Government to turn this symbolic step into meaningful change by immediately:

• Officially recognising Israel’s crimes as genocide
• Ending Britain's complicity through arms sales, military cooperation, and record levels of trade
• Adopting comprehensive sanctions and supporting accountability measures for those responsible for war crimes

The UK must now show that recognition means more than words on paper. Without concrete action to stop Israel's genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, this historic decision will remain an empty gesture, while lives are lost each day and the prospect of a just and peaceful settlement moves further out of reach.