French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that France would be the first major Western country to recognize a Palestinian state, a plan that was met with strong condemnation from Israel and the United States.
Starmer is scheduled to discuss with the leaders of France and Germany later on Friday ways to pressure Israel to end the war in Gaza.
Earlier in the debate, UK Science and Technology Minister Peter Kyle told Sky News: "We want a Palestinian state, we want it, and we want to make sure the conditions are in place that can allow this kind of long-term political solution to happen."
He added, "Right now, today, we must focus on what will alleviate the severe and unjustified suffering in Gaza, and that must be our priority today."
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, and Labour MPs on the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee said this week that Britain should recognize a Palestinian state. British Minister Shabana Mahmood said such a move would have "many benefits" and send a message to Israel.
Successive British governments have previously said they would formally recognize a Palestinian state at the appropriate time, without setting a timetable or specifying conditions.
"The government cannot continue to wait for the perfect time. Experience shows that there will never be a perfect time," the parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee said on Friday.
Starmer is scheduled to call the leaders of Germany and France on Friday to discuss the situation in Gaza, which he described as an "unspeakable and indefensible" humanitarian catastrophe.
But in a statement announcing his intention to make the call, Starmer said that establishing a Palestinian state is "a fundamental right of the Palestinian people," but indicated that Britain would not support the move unless a ceasefire was first agreed upon.
A Labour MP told Reuters there was discontent within the party over Starmer's stance because the government had not taken stronger diplomatic steps to condemn Israel.
"Most of us are very angry about what is happening in Gaza, and we believe our position is very weak," he added.
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to arrive in Scotland later on Friday, complicating Starmer's position on the issue at a time when he is building a closer relationship with Trump.
Britain rarely takes foreign policy positions that conflict with those of the United States.
