US, Israel say UK pledge to recognise state of Palestine will reward Hamas
Binyamin Netanyahu
and US president
Donald Trump
criticised UK prime minister Keir Starmer's pledge to recognise the state of Palestine if Israel does not commit to
ending its war
in Gaza, saying it would reward
Hamas
.
The UK prime minister on Tuesday said British recognition for Palestine will come if Israel does not 'take substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza', including agreeing to a ceasefire, committing to a pathway to peace that revives the prospect of a two-state solution and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank.
That prompted an angry response from Israel.
'Starmer rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims,' Mr Netanyahu said in a statement posted on X on Tuesday. 'A Jihadist state on Israel's border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW.'
READ MORE
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
"Starmer rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims.
A jihadist state on Israel's border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW.
Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen."
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM)
Asked by journalists about the UK move, Mr Trump said: 'you're rewarding Hamas if you do that.'
Domestic pressure had increased on Mr Starmer – who spoke with Mr Netanyahu by phone on Tuesday to explain Britain's actions – to recognise Palestine. That was particularly the case as news reports with distressing images highlighting starvation in Gaza proliferated in recent days.
'We see starving babies, children too weak to stand, images that will stay with us for a lifetime: the suffering must end,' Mr Starmer said. 'Now is the moment to act.'
He said the UK would formally recognise a Palestinian state in time for the United Nations General Assembly in September absent Israeli moves aimed at reaching a two-state solution.
He also made clear that on the Palestinian side, Hamas must release all Israeli hostages, disarm and play no further part in the governance of Gaza.
'Our goal remains a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state,' Mr Starmer said. 'But right now that goal is under pressure like never before.'
The war was triggered when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7th, 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250. The conflict has seen nearly 60,000 Palestinians killed in the subsequent Israeli offensive, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, as well as leaving much of the Palestinian territory in ruins. − Bloomberg
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