(MENAFN) The UK Business Minister Gareth Thomas has reiterated the government’s dedication to acknowledging a Palestinian state, despite legal objections expressed by members of the House of Lords.

During a morning interview on Thursday, Thomas conveyed that the government considers such recognition to be lawful but emphasized that it ultimately represents a political decision.

"In the end, recognition of another state is a political judgment and over 140 countries have already recognized Palestine, and we’re determined to do so in September if Israel does not end the violence in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and agree to a lasting route towards a two-state solution, and to no annexation in the West Bank," he stated.

Nonetheless, a collective of 40 peers addressed a letter to Lord Hermer, the attorney general, cautioning that recognizing Palestine might contravene international law.

Portions of this letter, which were published by a news agency, assert that the Palestinian territories do not fulfill the legal requirements for statehood as defined by the Montevideo Convention, a 1933 treaty that specifies the standards for state recognition.

According to the convention, a state must possess a permanent population, a defined territory, an operational government, and the capacity to engage in relations with other states.

The peers argue that Palestine arguably does not satisfy any of these four criteria.

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