Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political reporter Tal Schneider and diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today’s episode.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that the UK would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the war and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, and meets several other conditions, including recommitting to a viable peace process. This happened while, for the past several days, high-level representatives at a UN conference have urged Israel to commit to a Palestinian state. We discuss the fallout of Starmer’s announcement, the “New York Declaration,” and which other states may follow suit in potentially recognizing a state of Palestine this fall.

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In his announcement, Starmer said that Israel could forestall the recognition by reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, making clear that it will not annex the West Bank (or Gaza), and committing to a peace process that results in a two-state solution. This comes as there are increased rumors of Israeli plans to annex parts of the Gaza Strip. But are these rumors just a negotiation tactic? Schneider weighs in.

At the NY two-state solution conference this week, Arab and Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey, signed a declaration that, among other things, condemned for the first time Hamas’s onslaught of October 7, 2023, and called on the Palestinian terror group to release all the hostages it is holding, disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war in the Strip. Schneider and Freiberg explain that all this may not be as laudable as it seems.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

UK to recognize Palestinian state in Sept. unless Israel ends Gaza war, commits to peace

PM says ‘obstinate’ Hamas blocking hostage deal, as he weighs annexing parts of Gaza

In 1st, entire Arab League condemns Oct. 7, urges Hamas to disarm, at 2-state solution confab

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