Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his plan to recognise a Palestinian state, saying it rewards terrorism and puts other countries at risk.
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.
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.