LONDON, July 6, 2026 (WAFA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Varsen Aghabekian Shahin met on Monday with Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, Yvette Cooper, in London as part of an official visit to the United Kingdom.
Minister Shahin expressed her gratitude to the United Kingdom for recognizing the State of Palestine, stressing the significance of the move in light of Britain’s historical responsibility toward the State of Palestine and the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the realization of their independent state.
She emphasized that the recognition should mark the beginning of a clear British policy that contributes to ending the Israeli occupation of the occupied Palestinian Territory, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
She praised the recent decisions taken by the British government, including imposing sanctions on extremist Israeli colonial institutions, resuming support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and facilitating the travel of students and injured people from the Gaza Strip to receive treatment in the United Kingdom, describing these measures as positive steps that should be built upon.
Shahin stressed that these measures are consistent with the principles of international law and the values and principles embraced by the United Kingdom, but remain insufficient, calling on the British government to take more effective steps in light of Israel’s continued criminal policies in the occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to genocide for more than 1,000 days, without an end to Israeli crimes.
The minister also reviewed the grave situation in occupied Jerusalem, warning of Israeli policies aimed at imposing a new reality in the city by restricting Palestinian citizens, targeting the Palestinian Christian presence, and imposing excessive taxes on churches and church-owned lands as part of attempts to alter the city’s multi-religious character and its historical and legal status quo.
She urged the British government to impose comprehensive sanctions on Israel’s colonial settlement system, stressing that “there is no good settlement and bad settlement” and calling for stronger British measures to prevent the import and sale of products originating from Israeli colonies in British markets.
Minister Shahin also briefed her British counterpart on the reform and development efforts being implemented by the Government of the State of Palestine, reaffirming the Palestinian leadership’s commitment to carrying out its reform program and holding elections as a national obligation stemming from the Palestinian national interest.
She noted that municipal elections were held earlier this year and that preparations are underway for elections to the Palestinian National Council and the Legislative Council next November, to be followed by presidential elections next year.
T.R.
