Jerusalem – Israel and families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have fiercely criticized the UK’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state by September, calling it a dangerous move that “rewards terrorism.”
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the UK would move forward with recognition unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, allows aid access, and commits to a long-term peace deal. The decision aligns with similar plans announced by France.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Starmer of appeasing Hamas, declaring on X (formerly Twitter), “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims.” He warned that creating a “jihadist state” on Israel’s border would eventually threaten Britain as well.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, representing families of captives still held in Gaza, said, “Recognizing a Palestinian state while 50 hostages remain trapped in Hamas tunnels amounts to rewarding terrorism.”
British-Israeli former hostage Emily Damari, who was freed earlier this year after 471 days in captivity, called Starmer’s move a “moral failure” and compared it to appeasing the Nazis during WWII. “This is not diplomacy – it is a moral failure,” she wrote on Instagram.
However, Yehuda Cohen, whose son is still a hostage, disagreed with the Forum’s stance. “Recognizing Palestine creates pressure on Netanyahu, who has prolonged the hostage crisis,” he said, citing the Israeli government’s past financial support for Hamas via Qatari aid.
The UK’s Transport Minister Heidi Alexander denied the move was a reward for Hamas. “This is about the Palestinian people, not Hamas. It’s about starving children in Gaza,” she told LBC radio, while urging Israel to lift aid restrictions.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa hailed the UK’s announcement as a critical step to preserving the two-state solution, the internationally supported plan to establish an independent Palestine alongside Israel.
Starmer emphasized that Hamas must still release all hostages, disarm, and withdraw from any future role in governing Gaza. “Our message to Hamas is unchanged,” he stated. “They must release all hostages and accept they will play no part in Gaza’s future.”
The Palestinian Authority (PA) praised the UK decision as a “courageous step” toward peace and called on more countries to follow suit. The PA’s foreign ministry urged international support for Palestinian statehood as a way to preserve peace and counter Israeli annexation efforts.
Former Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa, a nephew of Yasser Arafat, said the UK’s stance draws a red line against Israeli expansion. “It’s a rejection of settler colonialism and the idea that Israel alone decides on Palestinian statehood,” he told the BBC.
The UK’s foreign policy shift comes amid intensifying global scrutiny of Israel’s Gaza campaign. Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack—which left 1,200 dead and 251 taken hostage—Israel’s military response has killed over 60,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry. Gaza’s infrastructure is decimated, famine looms, and over 90% of homes are damaged or destroyed.
With increasing pressure from allies and humanitarian organizations, the UK’s move is seen as a diplomatic effort to revive stalled peace talks—though it has provoked heated debate both in Israel and among diaspora communities.
