Young people who took to the streets to protest corruption and poor job prospects could face decades in maximum-security prison under a set of laws set up to combat al Qaeda.

<article data-history-node-id="426570" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/opinion-recognition-palestinian-state-should-not-be-pawn-diplomatic-game" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/opinion-recognition-palestinian-state-should-not-be-pawn-diplomatic-game" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Opinion: Recognition of a Palestinian state should not be a pawn in a diplomatic game</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>On 29 July,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/uk" target="_blank">UK</a>&nbsp;Prime Minister Keir Starmer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-words-on-gaza-29-july-2025" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;Britain&nbsp;would recognise a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/topics/palestine-state" target="_blank">Palestinian state</a>&nbsp;at the UN General Assembly in September, "unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza and commits to a long-term sustainable peace".</p> <p>Of course, any British recognition of the state of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/palestine" target="_blank">Palestine</a>, if and when it happens, would mark a historic moment. Britain bears a unique responsibility as the author of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/balfour-declaration-study-british-duplicity" target="_blank">Balfour Declaration</a>&nbsp;and the mandatory power in Palestine.</p> <p>If&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/why-is-britain-recognising-palestinian-state-what-does-it-mean-2025-07-29" target="_blank">recognition</a>&nbsp;does take place, it would reinforce the British government's stated support for a two-state solution, after decades of recognising only one state,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israel</a>, while denying the other.</p> <p>It would chart a trajectory that rejects Israel's attempt to impose a one-state apartheid reality across the whole of historic Palestine.</p> <p>It would set the terms for any future peace process, in which&nbsp;the end goal must include a Palestinian state, reaffirming the British government's stated commitment to a two-state solution, as outlined in its announcement.</p> <p>So why were Palestinians and others not out on the streets celebrating the British government's&nbsp;announcement that emerged from an emergency recall of the cabinet?</p> <h3>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/uk-starmer-should-have-imposed-sanctions-israel">Recognition of a Palestinian state should not be a pawn in a diplomatic game</a>&nbsp;Opinion by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/users/chris-doyle">Chris Doyle&nbsp;</a></h3> <figure role="group" class="media-block"> <div class="group-inner"> <div alt="A protester displays a satirical sign targeting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a demonstration in support of Gaza in London, 4 June 2025 (Adrian Dennis/AFP)" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6eb86022-ecf5-47d0-9892-684bb5cbebcb" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/images-story/protester-starmer-sign-london-4-june-2025-afp.jpg" width="1400" height="788" alt="A protester displays a satirical sign targeting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a demonstration in support of Gaza in London, 4 June 2025 (Adrian Dennis/AFP)" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> <figcaption>A protester displays a satirical sign targeting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a demonstration in support of Gaza in London, 4 June 2025 (Adrian Dennis/AFP)</figcaption> </div> </figure> <p><span style="background: url(&quot;https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png&quot;) rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> </div> </div> </article>

The closure of clinics is just one example of the disruption and confusion surrounding the near-total freeze on US aid and development funding ordered by US President Donald Trump

Khaled Nabhan, whose tribute to his slain granddaughter Reem went viral, was killed in the Nuseirat camp