UK PM Starmer Hopes Christmas Moments Bring Peace To The Middle East

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. (Wikimedia Commons/Kirsty O'Connor/No 10 Downing Street)

JAKARTA - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his hopes this year's Christmas. He wants this moment to bring peace to the Middle Eastern countries that are the origins of the religious celebration.

"This Christmas, I hope for peace, especially in the Middle East as the birthplace of the Christmas story," Keir Starmer said on Tuesday, December 24 in his first Christmas message as prime minister citing ANTARA.

Starmer says Christmas is a time for people to remember things that really matter: 'Family. Friendship. And togetherness among fellow human beings.'

"I will look forward to a better and brighter future for everyone and celebrate the joys and wonders brought by Christmas," he added.

Arab territory is currently experiencing significant developments that have attracted world attention, ranging from Israel's ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, a security situation in Lebanon amid a violation of the ceasefire agreement by Israel, to the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria.

Israel has continued to launch large-scale land operations in northern Gaza since October 5 to prevent Palestinian independence group Hamas from gathering again.

However, Palestinians accuse Israel of trying to occupy the territory and forcibly displacing its entire population.

Since then, sufficient humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and fuel, has not been allowed into the area, so the remaining residents are on the verge of starvation.

The attack is the latest episode of Israel's brutal war on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 45,300 people, mostly women and children, since October 7, 2023.

Last month, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Israel's Chief Authority Benjamin Netanyahu and former Yoav Gallant's Chief of Defense for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.