Latest news with #BoardofDeputiesofBritishJews
West Australian
30-07-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
UK rejects rewarding Hamas after Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain would recognise Palestinian state
Britain rejects Israeli criticism that it is rewarding militant group Hamas by setting out plans to recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel takes steps to improve the situation in Gaza and bring about peace. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's ultimatum, setting a September deadline, prompted an immediate rebuke from Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, who said it rewarded Hamas and punished the victims of the fighters' 2023 attack that triggered the war. US President Donald Trump also said he did not think Hamas 'should be rewarded' with recognition of Palestinian independence. But British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander - designated by the government to respond to media questions on Wednesday - said: 'This is not a reward for Hamas. 'Hamas is a vile terrorist organisation that has committed appalling atrocities. This is about the Palestinian people. It's about those children that we see in Gaza who are starving to death. 'We've got to ratchet up pressure on the Israeli government to lift the restrictions to get aid back into Gaza.' Mr Starmer's decision follows that of French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced last week that Paris would recognise Palestinian statehood in September, becoming the first major Western power to do so, because of the dire humanitarian conditions in the enclave. Previously, Britain and France, like other Western powers, had been committed to Palestinian independence, but as a goal that would best be achieved only at the conclusion of negotiations with Israel. In a televised address on Tuesday, Mr Starmer said it had become necessary to act because the prospect of such a two-state solution was under threat. Britain would make the move at the UN General Assembly in September unless Israel took substantive steps to allow more aid into Gaza, made clear it would not annex the West Bank and committed itself to a long-term peace process that delivered a two-state solution, Mr Starmer said. The Board of Deputies of British Jews, Britain's biggest Jewish advocacy group, raised concerns that similarly clear conditions had not been set out for Hamas, which is still holding 50 hostages it seized in its October 2023 attack. The Muslim Council of Britain, the country's largest Muslim umbrella organisation, said making recognition conditional contradicted the government's stated position that statehood was the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.
Time Magazine
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Families of Israeli Hostages Condemn UK Plan to Recognize Palestinian State as ‘Reward for Terror'
Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and a former captive have condemned the U.K. government's announcement that it will recognize a Palestinian state this September unless Israel meets specific conditions, calling the move a dangerous concession to terrorism. Emily Damari, a British-Israeli citizen who was held hostage by Hamas for 471 days before her release in January, said she was 'deeply saddened' by the U.K.'s position. In a post on social media, she warned the decision risked legitimizing political violence. [time-brightcove not-tgx='true'] 'This move does not advance peace—it risks rewarding terror,' she said. 'It sends a dangerous message: that violence earns legitimacy.' TIME has approached Damari for comment. The announcement from Prime Minister Keir Starmer has triggered sharp responses both domestically and from within the global Jewish community. The Board of Deputies of British Jews, a leading U.K. Jewish organization, said it was seeking clarification that Britain would not recognize Palestinian statehood while Hamas continued to hold hostages and reject ceasefire terms. Damari was taken from her home in the Kfar Aza kibbutz during the October 7 Hamas terror attack that killed more than 1,200 people and led to the kidnapping of roughly 250 others. She was shot in the leg and hand during her abduction. Her release in January this year came as part of a temporary ceasefire that saw 30 hostages freed. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents relatives of those still being held in Gaza, echoed Damari's concerns, calling the U.K. move a 'clear violation of international law.' 'If the international community truly desires peace, it must join U.S. efforts by demanding first the release of all hostages, followed by an end to the fighting,' the group said in a statement Wednesday. An estimated 50 hostages remain in Gaza, 29 of whom are believed to be deceased, according to the Israeli government. U.K. joins other nations in move towards recognizing Palestinian state Starmer announced on Tuesday that the U.K. would move to formally recognize Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless Israel halts military operations in Gaza, agrees to a ceasefire, and takes steps toward a sustainable two-state solution. He also urged Hamas to release all hostages, disarm, and forgo any role in governing Gaza. Recognition would mark a significant shift in British foreign policy and align the U.K. with growing European momentum behind Palestinian statehood. France made a similar pledge last week, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot hailing the U.K.'s decision as part of a broader push to 'break the endless cycle of violence' and 'reopen the prospect of peace in the region.' Ireland, which already recognizes Palestine, welcomed the development. 'We need aid to flow, release of hostages and a viable two-state solution,' Tánaiste Simon Harris said Tuesday. The growing push for recognition—largely driven by outcry over Israel's ongoing military campaign, mounting civilian casualties, and the stalled peace process—marks a critical turning point in international engagement with the conflict. The two-state solution—establishing independent Israeli and Palestinian states side by side—is widely viewed by the international community as the most viable path to lasting peace. In total, nearly 150 U.N. member states now recognize Palestine, but the backing of major Western powers like the U.K. and France adds new weight to the initiative. If implemented, Britain and France would become the first G7 nations to formalize recognition. Palestine recognition plan draws international support and condemnation The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank and represents the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), welcomed Starmer's announcement. Hussein al-Sheikh, vice president of the PLO, called the U.K. move 'a confirmation of commitment to international law and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.' Hamas has not formally responded to the U.K. statement but welcomed Macron's similar proposal last week. In that statement, Hamas reiterated its desire to see an independent Palestinian state on 'all occupied lands'—a phrase broadly interpreted as including all of present-day Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a scathing rebuke, accusing Starmer of rewarding 'Hamas's monstrous terrorism and punishing its victims.' 'A jihadist state on Israel's border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW,' he said. Israel's Foreign Ministry said the British decision undermined ceasefire negotiations and the ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages. U.S. President Donald Trump also weighed in, warning that pressuring Israel would amount to 'rewarding Hamas,' though he stopped short of directly criticizing the U.K.
7NEWS
30-07-2025
- Politics
- 7NEWS
UK denies recognising Palestinian state rewards Hamas
Britain rejects Israeli criticism that it is rewarding militant group Hamas by setting out plans to recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel takes steps to improve the situation in Gaza and bring about peace. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's ultimatum, setting a September deadline, prompted an immediate rebuke from Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, who said it rewarded Hamas and punished the victims of the fighters' 2023 attack that triggered the war. US President Donald Trump also said he did not think Hamas 'should be rewarded' with recognition of Palestinian independence. But British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander — designated by the government to respond to media questions on Wednesday — said: 'This is not a reward for Hamas. 'Hamas is a vile terrorist organisation that has committed appalling atrocities. This is about the Palestinian people. It's about those children that we see in Gaza who are starving to death. 'We've got to ratchet up pressure on the Israeli government to lift the restrictions to get aid back into Gaza.' Starmer's decision follows that of French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced last week that Paris would recognise Palestinian statehood in September, becoming the first major Western power to do so, because of the dire humanitarian conditions in the enclave. Previously, Britain and France, like other Western powers, had been committed to Palestinian independence, but as a goal that would best be achieved only at the conclusion of negotiations with Israel. In a televised address on Tuesday, Starmer said it had become necessary to act because the prospect of such a two-state solution was under threat. Britain would make the move at the UN General Assembly in September unless Israel took substantive steps to allow more aid into Gaza, made clear it would not annex the West Bank and committed itself to a long-term peace process that delivered a two-state solution, Starmer said. The Board of Deputies of British Jews, Britain's biggest Jewish advocacy group, raised concerns that similarly clear conditions had not been set out for Hamas, which is still holding 50 hostages it seized in its October 2023 attack. The Muslim Council of Britain, the country's largest Muslim umbrella organisation, said making recognition conditional contradicted the government's stated position that statehood was the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.
Middle East Eye
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
UK's largest Jewish body condemns weaponisation of food in Gaza
The largest organisation representing Jews in the UK has warned against the use of starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza and called for 'a massive and sustained flow of aid' into the besieged Palestinian enclave. At a special meeting on Tuesday, the Board of Deputies of British Jews discussed the organisation's response to developments in the Middle East, including 'the desperate humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the latest UK announcement in relation to recognition of a Palestinian state'. Earlier on Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will recognise a Palestinian state by September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip by then. The announcement followed France's decision to officially recognise the state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Growing diplomatic pressure on Israel comes as more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in its war on Gaza. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters An increasing number of civilians, including many infants and children, have been starved to death in recent days due to an Israeli-imposed blockade on the strip. More than 1,000 Palestinians have also been killed by Israeli forces while trying to access food in Gaza at distribution centres managed by the controversial US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the United Nations said last week. In a statement issued after the deputies' meeting, Phil Rosenberg, the board's president, highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and the need for urgent action. More than 220 UK MPs urge Starmer to recognise Palestinian state Read More » 'The suffering we are witnessing in the Gaza Strip demands a response. The new measures announced by Israeli authorities to address the humanitarian crisis are essential if long overdue,' he said. His comments referenced the announcement on Friday that Israel would allow foreign governments to carry out aid drops to feed Palestinians. Rosenberg asked for 'a rapid, uninhibited, and sustained increase in aid through all available channels' and warned against the weaponisation of food. 'As we have been saying for months, food must not be used as a weapon of war, by any side in this conflict,' he said. Stressing that the Board of Deputies' 'solidarity remains with the Israeli people', its president condemned some statements and actions by Israeli leaders and settlers. 'It is clear that our community overwhelmingly rejects the appalling rhetoric and unacceptable proposals from some Israeli ministers, particularly in relation to the forced displacement of Gazans, as well as the intolerable violence perpetrated by extremist settlers in the West Bank, all of which are in complete contradiction to our values,' Rosenberg said. Growing condemnations The board's statement comes a month after it suspended five of its elected representatives - including the vice-chair of its international division - for two years after they criticised Israel's conduct in Gaza. In April, 36 members of the board signed a letter published in the Financial Times in which they strongly condemned Israel's assault on the Palestinian enclave and its withholding of food and aid. 'The inclination to avert our eyes is strong, as what is happening is unbearable, but our Jewish values compel us to stand up and to speak out,' they wrote. Leaders of the board accused the 36 deputies of 'misrepresenting our community' and launched disciplinary proceedings against them. A former head of Israel's Shin Bet security agency reportedly intervened in support of the members facing disciplinary action. Why so many young Jewish Americans are anti-Zionist Read More » Their eventual suspension from the board came after one of its members, Daniel Grossman, resigned in May over what he described as the failure of its leaders to explicitly criticise 'the Israeli government's ongoing genocidal assault on Gaza'. Before Tuesday's emergency meeting, dozens of deputies had written to the board leadership saying it must appeal to the Israeli government to 'end this suffering', The Guardian reported. 'Nothing could be more damaging to the British Jewish community than staying silent in this moment,' they said. In the statement, Rosenberg reiterated the board's long-term support for 'a negotiated two-state solution that ensures a secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian State' but warned that 'recognising a Palestinian State without a diplomatic agreement risks putting gestures ahead of substance'. 'We are therefore seeking clarification that the UK Government will not recognise a Palestinian State while Hamas fails to meet UK demands, including accepting a ceasefire and releasing the hostages,' he said. He also evoked the consequences of the war in Gaza on British Jews. 'This war … is also taking a toll on our own community, including through the unacceptable proliferation of hatred and discrimination directed at Jews in this country.' The Board of Deputies' statement is part of a growing movement of criticism of the Israeli government by Jewish organisations and personalities worldwide. Last week, more than 400 rabbis from around the world accused Israel of 'callous indifference to starvation' and urged it to allow international aid into Gaza, halt settler violence and pursue peace. 'The Jewish People face a grave moral crisis, threatening the very basis of Judaism as the ethical voice that it has been since the age of Israel's prophets,' they wrote. 'We cannot remain silent in confronting it.'
West Australian
30-07-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
UK denies recognising Palestinian state rewards Hamas
Britain rejects Israeli criticism that it is rewarding militant group Hamas by setting out plans to recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel takes steps to improve the situation in Gaza and bring about peace. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's ultimatum, setting a September deadline, prompted an immediate rebuke from Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, who said it rewarded Hamas and punished the victims of the fighters' 2023 attack that triggered the war. US President Donald Trump also said he did not think Hamas "should be rewarded" with recognition of Palestinian independence. But British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander - designated by the government to respond to media questions on Wednesday - said: "This is not a reward for Hamas. "Hamas is a vile terrorist organisation that has committed appalling atrocities. This is about the Palestinian people. It's about those children that we see in Gaza who are starving to death. "We've got to ratchet up pressure on the Israeli government to lift the restrictions to get aid back into Gaza." Starmer's decision follows that of French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced last week that Paris would recognise Palestinian statehood in September, becoming the first major Western power to do so, because of the dire humanitarian conditions in the enclave. Previously, Britain and France, like other Western powers, had been committed to Palestinian independence, but as a goal that would best be achieved only at the conclusion of negotiations with Israel. In a televised address on Tuesday, Starmer said it had become necessary to act because the prospect of such a two-state solution was under threat. Britain would make the move at the UN General Assembly in September unless Israel took substantive steps to allow more aid into Gaza, made clear it would not annex the West Bank and committed itself to a long-term peace process that delivered a two-state solution, Starmer said. The Board of Deputies of British Jews, Britain's biggest Jewish advocacy group, raised concerns that similarly clear conditions had not been set out for Hamas, which is still holding 50 hostages it seized in its October 2023 attack. The Muslim Council of Britain, the country's largest Muslim umbrella organisation, said making recognition conditional contradicted the government's stated position that statehood was the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.
