Britain's prime minister Sir Keir Starmer plans to support recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, aiming to revive the two-state solution as a viable diplomatic path. However, a visit to the West Bank highlights the deep challenges on the ground, with Israeli settlements firmly established across the territory Palestinians hope to claim for their state. These settlements, home to over 700,000 Israelis, are widely regarded as violations of international law and have been condemned globally, yet the Israeli government continues to expand them. The entrenched reality of these settlements fuels skepticism among Palestinians about the effectiveness of new diplomatic promises.