Britain announced on Tuesday it was prepared to recognise a Palestinian state in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the "appalling situation" in Gaza and meets other conditions.

Malta told a high-level U.N. meeting that it will formally recognize the state of Palestine in September, joining France and the United Kingdom in stepping up pressure to end the nearly 80-year Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Britain has announced it will recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, stops building settlements in the West Bank, and commits to a two-state solution