Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper says she has warned Israel not to annex parts of the West Bank in retaliation for the UK's recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Cooper was speaking to the BBC before attending a conference on Monday at the UN in New York where France and other European states are due to make a similar announcement.
In what was a significant change in policy, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK's recognition of a Palestinian state on Sunday, along with Canada, Australia and Portugal.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the moves, saying they give a huge reward to terrorism.
Asked by the BBC if she was concerned Israel would take this declaration as a pretext for annexing parts of the West Bank, Cooper said she had made it clear to her Israeli counterpart that he and his government must not do that.
She said: We have been clear that this decision that we are taking is about the best way to respect the security for Israel as well as the security for Palestinians. It's about protecting peace and justice and crucially security for the Middle East and we will continue to work with everyone across the region in order to be able to do that.
Cooper emphasized the need to reinvigorate hopes for a two-state solution amidst extremism challenging peace efforts on both sides.
The foreign secretary was speaking in New York, where the UN General Assembly is convening this week. Cooper will push to build international consensus on a framework for peace in the Middle East, as France co-chairs discussions on a two-state solution alongside Saudi Arabia.
Critics, including Netanyahu, vehemently opposed the recognition, while Palestinian leaders welcomed it as a step toward establishing their state. Amidst the backdrop of ongoing violence and humanitarian crises in Gaza, discussions around peace and statehood remain as contentious as ever.
