Netanyahu accuses Starmer of ‘appeasing’ Hamas with Palestinian statehood vow
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Starmer vows to recognize Palestinian state unless Israel shifts Gaza policy
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“The Palestinian people have endured terrible suffering,” Starmer said at a news conference at 10 Downing Street. “Now, in Gaza, because of a catastrophic failure of aid, we see starving babies, children too weak to stand: images that will stay with us for a lifetime.”
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Starmer was pushed by members of his own cabinet and Labour Party lawmakers to make the move, which follows last week’s announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron that France would endorse the creation of a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly meeting in September.
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Starmer said Britain will also recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations unless Israel “takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza” and commits “to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.”
The ultimate goal, Starmer said, is a “safe and secure” Israel alongside a “viable and sovereign” Palestinian state.
In a statement posted on social media, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Starmer of abetting terrorism.
“Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims,” Netanyahu said in the statement on X. “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.”
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Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a terse statement opposing the British prime minister’s declaration.
“The shift in the British government’s position at this time, following the French move and internal political pressures, constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages,” the Israeli government said.
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President Donald Trump echoed the Israeli message. “You’re rewarding Hamas,” Trump said when asked about Starmer’s statement aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington from Scotland, where he promoted his golf courses and met with Starmer on Monday.
“I don’t think they should be rewarded,” Trump said. “So I’m not in that camp, to be honest. We’ll let you know where we are at, but I am not in that camp, because if you do that, you really are rewarding Hamas. And I’m not about to do that.”
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Trump said that he and Starmer “never did discuss” the subject during their meeting at Trump’s Turnberry golf property.
At the United Nations in New York, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “The Netanyahu government rejection of the two-state solution is wrong. It’s wrong morally, and it’s wrong strategically.”
Netanyahu has called charges that Palestinians are starving in Gaza “a bold-faced lie.”
“There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza,” he said Sunday.
In early July, after a meeting with Trump in the Oval Office, Netanyahu said a Palestinian state would “be a platform to destroy Israel.” Netanyahu said: “I think the Palestinians should have all the powers to govern themselves but none of the powers to threaten us. That means a sovereign power, like overall security, will always remain in our hands.”
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Starmer recalled his cabinet from its summer break for an emergency meeting to approve the plan to recognize a Palestinian state after his talks with Trump in Scotland.
In a show of support, 255 British lawmakers signed a cross-party letter to Starmer and Lammy, calling on them to recognize a Palestinian state.
Some members of the British Parliament said that while they endorsed Starmer’s statement, the government should not wait until September to recognize a Palestinian state, but instead should do so now.
At last count, about 140 nations have moved to formally recognize a Palestinian state. In Europe, Spain, Ireland and Norway did so last year, in a concerted attempt to apply diplomatic pressure to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.
UK will recognise Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to Gaza ceasefire and other conditions
The UK is the first G7 nation to recognise Palestine as a state. The move is seen as a step towards a two-state solution. Israel has vowed to continue its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. The UN Security Council is expected to vote on a resolution on the issue this week.
Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent
The UK’s announcement adds to the growing international momentum to strengthen support for Palestinian statehood in the midst of growing outrage and alarm over the suffering in Gaza.
Last week, France became the first country from the UN Security Council, the first of the G7 group of industrialised nations, to join the dozens of countries which recognised the state of Palestine decades ago.
“Nothing can stand in the way of a just and clear idea”, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot declared on social media.
But a lot will: the current Israeli government’s staunch opposition, the current expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank – the biggest in decades on land which would form part of any Palestinian state – and right-wing Israeli ministers’ vows to expel Palestinians from Gaza.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy highlighted this “peril” earlier, while addressing the UN General Assembly.
Throughout this Gaza war, Arab leaders called for a vision which provides an alternative to the violence of Hamas and a path to peace and security for Palestinians, Israelis, and the entire region.
But before this war erupted, many had declared the two-state solution was dead. Now it’s being brought back to life, at least in words, as the world struggles to find a way forward in this darkest of times.
Netanyahu accuses Starmer of ‘appeasing’ Hamas with Palestinian statehood vow
The British prime minister told his Cabinet Tuesday that “now was the right time to move this position forward” Starmer promised that the U.K. would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless the Israeli government took “substantive steps” to end the crisis in Gaza.
The broadside came after Starmer — under pressure from his own party and a French push on the issue — made a conditional pledge to recognize a Palestinian state ahead of September’s United Nations General Assembly.
The British prime minister told his Cabinet Tuesday that “now was the right time to move this position forward” because of the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the diminishing prospects of a peace process.
Starmer promised that the U.K. would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless the Israeli government took “substantive steps” to end the crisis in Gaza and commited to a long-term peace process that delivers a two-state solution. Starmer repeated that Hamas must release all remaining hostages taken in the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, disarm and accept they will have no role in the government of Gaza.
The move marks a significant shift in British policy in the Middle East, and comes after intensive lobbying by MPs in Starmer’s governing Labour Party.
Netanyahu has previously laid into Starmer over sanctions aimed at Israeli ministers and attacked a “shameful” decision by the U.K. last year to suspend the sale of some arms components used by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Netanyahu accuses UK’s Starmer of ‘appeasing’ Hamas over Palestinian statehood vow
Netanyahu wrote in a post on X, “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims” He added, ‘Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too’ Starmer told his Cabinet on Tuesday that the UK would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes concrete steps to stop the crisis in Gaza and agrees to a peace process aiming at a two-state solution.
Netanyahu wrote in a post on X, “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims.”
He added, “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 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) July 29, 2025
His comments came after Starmer told his Cabinet on Tuesday that the UK would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes concrete steps to stop the crisis in Gaza and agrees to a peace process aiming at a two-state solution.
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The UK prime minister said “now was the right time to move this position forward,” pointing to the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the lack of progress in peace efforts.
Starmer also said Hamas must release the remaining hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks, disarm, and agree not to be part of any future government in Gaza.
The UK’s plan marks a shift in its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It follows growing pressure from within Starmer’s Labour Party and renewed efforts by France to push for Palestinian statehood.
Netanyahu has previously criticised the UK for suspending some arms exports to Israel and for imposing sanctions on certain Israeli officials.
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According to the UK prime minister’s office, Starmer spoke to Netanyahu by phone ahead of Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
Israel-Gaza latest: Netanyahu hits out at Starmer’s statement on recognising Palestine unless war ends
UK will recognise Palestinian state in September unless Israel ends ‘appalling situation’ in Gaza, Starmer vows. Sir Keir said Israel must agree to a ceasefire and allow unhindered aid into the enclave over the next two months. Israeli prime minister hit back on X: “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims”
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Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Sir Keir Starmer of “appeasing terrorists” after he said the UK would recognise Palestine unless Israel took urgent steps to end the war in Gaza.
In a statement on Tuesday night, Sir Keir said Israel must agree to a ceasefire and allow unhindered aid into the enclave over the next two months if it wishes to prevent recognition of Palestine.
Israel must also “commit to a long-term sustainable peace” and “revive the prospect of a two-state solution” by September, Sir Keir said following an emergency virtual cabinet meeting.
But the Israeli prime minister hit back on X: “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims. Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen.”
British charities and MPs have criticised the move, accusing Sir Keir of using Palestinian statehood as a “bargaining chip”.
The prime minister’s announcement came as a UN-backed food security body said the “worst-case scenario of famine” was playing out in the besieged enclave.
The war on Gaza has killed over 60,000 people since it erupted in October 2023, according to local officials.