Starmer “will set out the position later on today”, his deputy David Lammy told the BBC on Sunday, without confirming UK media reports that there would be full recognition of a Palestinian state.
Although a largely symbolic move, it would mark a significant shift in foreign policy for the UK which has had long, close ties to Israel.
But the move would put the UK at odds with the United States and Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacting angrily and vowing to oppose it at the UN talks.
It is a watershed moment for Palestinian statehood, with the most powerful western nations having long argued it should only be part of a negotiated peace deal with Israel.
The besieged Palestinian territory has suffered vast destruction, a spiralling death toll and a lack of food that has sparked a major humanitarian crisis.
The UK government has come under increasing public pressure to act, with thousands rallying every month on the streets. A poll released by YouGov on Friday showed two-thirds of young Britons aged 18-25 supported Palestinian statehood.
Over a century ago, the UK was pivotal in laying the groundwork for the creation of the state of Israel through the 1917 Balfour Declaration.
Starmer said in July that his Labour government intended to recognise a Palestinian State unless Israel took “substantive” steps including reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, getting more aid into the territory and confirming it would not annex the West Bank.
Lammy told the BBC on Sunday that the Palestinian Authority -- the civilian body that governs in areas of the West Bank -- had been calling for the move for some time “and I think a lot of that is wrapped up in hope”.
But he said it was an attempt to “hold out for” a two-state solution.
“It sends a very clear message to the Israelis on their illusions on continuing their occupation forever,“ she added.
Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
Portugal's foreign ministry said on Friday that it would also formally declare its recognition on Sunday.
Thousands of Israelis are also calling on the international community to formally recognise a Palestinian state in a campaign which has gained 8,500 signatures on a petition to the UN.
By continuing the war, “we’re only going to escalate the cycle of violence, bloodshed, and revenge we’ve been trapped within, not since October 7, but for a century,“ said campaigner Maoz Inon - AFP
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