Protests Over Gaza Crisis Held Days Before Starmer’s Pronouncement on Palestinian Statehood

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Just days before Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK’s potential recognition of a Palestinian state, there had been mounting pressure from demonstrators, including those gathered in Bradford on Avon, to protest the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and demand tougher action from the British government. The Wiltshire Times just revealed. 

The protest, held last Saturday, July 26, in Westbury Gardens, called on the UK to impose sanctions on Israel and withdraw all military and political support. Organised by Bradford on Avon Friends of Palestine and residents, the demonstration came amid escalating grassroots pressure and growing international concern over the treatment of Palestinian civilians.

Protesters responded to an appeal by Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda, using banners and banging pots to call attention to what they described as systematic violence in Gaza.

“For 22 months, Palestinians in Gaza have been subjected to horrific violence by the Israeli military, bombings, drone fire, and deliberate starvation,” said protest organiser Imogen Mathers, who also highlighted decades of displacement and land loss, in an interview with The Wiltshire Times. 

A local teacher, who also spoke at the event, urged the public to demand political accountability. “It is excruciating to see the impact of these atrocities on children,” they said, calling on citizens to contact MPs, boycott Israeli products, and amplify Palestinian voices.

The protest preceded a major development from Downing Street. On 31 July, Starmer announced that the UK will vote in favour of recognising a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, unless Israel takes meaningful steps toward ending the war in Gaza, agreeing to a ceasefire, and establishing a path to sustainable peace.

The announcement drew fierce condemnation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused Starmer of rewarding terrorism and undermining regional stability. “Such recognition will only embolden Hamas and damage the chances for real peace,” Netanyahu warned.

The protest in Bradford on Avon also came shortly after a joint statement by 25 nations, including the UK, France, and Canada, criticising the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The coalition cited reports of over 800 deaths among people seeking food, water, and aid. Israel dismissed the claims, instead blaming Hamas and defending alternative aid delivery routes that bypass the United Nations.