Keir Starmer Says UK to Recognize ‘Palestinian State’ Unless Israel Agrees to Gaza Ceasefire, Other Demands
Hamas ‘halts’ hostage talks after Starmer’s announcement.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that the UK would recognize “Palestinian statehood” if Israel does not declare a ceasefire, bringing the military operation to an end while the terrorist group Hamas still holds hostages in Gaza. The move is set to reward Hamas and Palestinian terrorist groups nearly 22 months after they murdered more than 1200 Israelis and took over 250 hostages.
“The UK will recognise Palestinian statehood in September, the government has said, unless ‘substantive’ steps are taken by Israel to end the ‘appalling’ situation in Gaza – among other conditions,” the BBC reported.
The British prime minister made the announcement after an ’emergency’ meeting with his cabinet ministers. “At a news conference, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the goal remains a ‘safe and secure’ Israel alongside a ‘viable and sovereign’ Palestinian state,” the broadcaster added.
Last week, President Emmanuel Macron declared that France would be recognizing the State of Palestine in September, becoming to first Western nation to do so.
BREAKING: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced the UK will recognise Palestine as a state by the United Nations meeting in September, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire.
Read more: https://t.co/Ays0iPHHg5
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— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 29, 2025
The Israeli government warned that Prime Minister Starmer’s declaration will only embolden Hamas, which has been asking for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza without releasing hostages languishing in its captivity since October 7, 2023.
The UK newspaper The Telegraph reported the official Israeli response:
Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement will hurt ceasefire efforts and represents a “reward for Hamas”, the Israeli foreign ministry has said.
“Israel rejects the statement by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
“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.”
Israel rejects the statement by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
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… pic.twitter.com/CG2tueCYRe
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) July 29, 2025
The news comes after France, Germany, and the UK issued a joint statement last Friday saying that “all three countries support a Palestinian state in principle,” the German state TV Deutsche Welle reported. The three European leaders “demanded an immediate ceasefire and warned that ‘withholding essential humanitarian assistance’ is unacceptable — though the statement broke no new diplomatic ground,” the TV channel added.
Ahead of the announcement, the Starmer government told Israel to meet a series of demands. The government spokesman said Tuesday morning that Britain will recognize the statehood for the Palestinians “unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a Two State Solution.”
BBC: Hamas ‘halts’ hostage talks after Starmer’s announcement
Predictably, Hamas halted hostage negotiations shortly after Starmer’s announcement. “A senior Hamas official tells the BBC they’ve informed mediators in Qatar and Egypt that negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza will be halted while … the territory is under blockade,” the British broadcaster reported Tuesday evening.
Israel’s foreign minister: International pressure undermining hostage deal
Ahead of the British announcement, Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa’ar, briefed the international media, saying the diplomatic pressure mounted against Israel in recent weeks is ‘sabotaging’ negotiations to free hostages and reach a ceasefire in Gaza
The European leaders are pressuring Israel to appease their growing Muslim populations, he observed. “We are aware of the fact that there are countries in Europe today with huge Muslim populations. Sometimes, it affects the policies of their governments,” the foreign minister said. “But this cannot and will not lead Israel to commit suicide.”
While thanking President Trump and his administration “for their unwavering support for Israel’s war against Hamas and terror,” the Israeli minister slammed foreign governments for bolstering Hamas’s position and sabotaging the hostage negotiations.
Diplomatic pressure on Israel has emboldened Hamas, which last week rejected the ceasefire framework proposed by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. “The international pressure on Israel during critical days in the negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage deal has already caused Hamas to harden its position,” the minister cautioned. “This pressure is directly sabotaging the chances for a ceasefire and hostage deal.”
Israel is not going to allow an Islamic terrorist state to be carved out from within its borders. “We won’t allow a Jihadist terror state in the heart of our ancient homeland,” he added. “We won’t allow a Hamas terror state to be formed just a few kilometers away from our population centers.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar from the press conference for the foreign media:
"We are aware that there are countries in Europe today with large Muslim populations, and sometimes this affects the policies of the governments. But this cannot and will not lead Israel to commit… pic.twitter.com/l23TJE11kL
— Cheryl E 🇮🇱🎗️ (@CherylWroteIt) July 29, 2025
The Israeli news website Ynetnews reported the foreign minister’s statement:
In the face of mounting international scrutiny over the war in Gaza, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stood firm Tuesday morning, offering an unflinching defense of Israel’s position and warning that outside pressure is not only misguided—but dangerous.
“This must be clear: international pressure during these critical days of cease-fire and hostage negotiations has already led Hamas to harden its position,” he told foreign journalists at a press conference. “This pressure directly undermines the chances of reaching a cease-fire and hostage deal.”
Beyond the battlefield, Sa’ar turned his attention to the broader diplomatic arena, where he said Israel is contending with a growing wave of boycotts, research exclusions, and pro-Palestinian initiatives. He cast the situation as part of a “distorted campaign of international pressure,” one that he believes is feeding an alarming surge in antisemitic incidents worldwide.
“We are witnessing a distorted campaign of international pressure against Israel,” he said. “This campaign is fueling the wave of antisemitism we are now seeing.”
And to those calling for an immediate end to the war? “When people call to end the war—what do they really mean?” he asked. “That it should end with Hamas still ruling Gaza. That would be a tragedy for both Israelis and Palestinians. That’s precisely why they took the hostages in the first place—to impose their will on Israel. That will not happen, no matter how much pressure is exerted.” (…)
“The campaign’s second objective is to force Israel to accept a Palestinian terror state,” he said. “Yesterday in New York, the French said Europe must pressure Israel to accept a two-state solution. But establishing a Palestinian state today would mean creating a Hamas-run jihadist state. That won’t happen. We’re aware that some European countries have large Muslim populations, and that sometimes influences government policy. But that cannot, and will not, drive Israel to commit suicide.”
His tone sharpened as he laid down red lines. “We will not allow a jihadist terror state to rise in the heart of our historical homeland. We won’t permit a Hamas-run state to emerge just miles from our population centers. Israel will not be the Czechoslovakia of the 21st century. We will not sacrifice our very existence to appease other nations. We will not compromise our fundamental interests for the internal political considerations of countries that have lost control of their own streets. These countries condescendingly presume to dictate what’s best for our security.”
The international pressure on Israel in recent days has already caused Hamas to harden its positions in the negotiations and is directly harming the chances of reaching a deal, Foreign Minister @gidonsaar told foreign reporters in a briefing.
— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) July 29, 2025
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also declared his government’s commitment to continue fighting a just war, which began after the invading Hamas terrorists committed horrific atrocities, massacres, and took hostages on October 7, 2023.
“We are fighting a just war, a moral war, a war for our survival,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement Monday afternoon. “We’ll continue to act responsibly, as we always have, and we’ll continue to seek the return of our hostages and the defeat of Hamas.”
IDF facilitates aid distribution, continues operation against Hamas in Gaza
While supporting the delivery of humanitarian aid, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued its military operation against Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
“In the Khan Yunis area, IDF troops eliminated several terrorists who posed a threat, while the IAF targeted terrorist infrastructure and multiple weapons storage facilities over the past day,” the military said in a statement Tuesday.
📦✈️DAILY HUMANITARIAN AID AIRDROP: An airdrop of 52 food aid packages for the residents of both southern and northern Gaza was conducted by the IDF in coordination with the UAE, Jordan and Egypt, and led by @COGATonline. pic.twitter.com/xDxd6ddYEp
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 29, 2025
With Hamas rejecting the U.S. ceasefire proposal, the IDF was keeping up pressure on the terrorists holding hostages in Gaza. “Throughout the past day, IDF troops continued operating in the areas in northern Gaza, dismantling launch and fire capabilities and dismantling terrorist infrastructure both above and below ground. Several terrorists were eliminated in ground engagements,” the IDF statement added. “Over the past day, the IAF, in cooperation with ground troops, struck dozens of terror targets across the Gaza Strip, including terrorists, military structures, launch posts, weapons storage facilities, tunnels, military posts, and other terrorist infrastructure.”
Troops of the Kfir Brigade located a cache of military equipment during operations in southern Gaza's Khan Younis earlier today, the army says.
The IDF says the soldiers raided several sites during the operation, and found grenades, ammunition, magazines, diving equipment, and… pic.twitter.com/92f5DG1H9j
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) July 29, 2025
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Comments
Let them recognize the imaginary state who cares ; it serves no purpose and actually hurts the Palestinians who want all of Israel as theirs. This is just more performative bull shit that Israel should just ignore.
Kier rhymes with Hier?
All of the West should expel Pales, stop feeding them. There should never be another state for them, they have Jordan. If Jordan will not take them back, have a designated place in the ocean for them.
The Brits are responding to their constituents. Note how many Brit mayors are now Muslim. The PM is going to voice the will of his voters. If he wants to be reelected.
Nations are supposed to control the violence coming from their territory. Recognize Gaza as a nation, and the next time Hamas gets sporty declare war and occupy the aggressor nation. If Europeans whine, remind them of what they did at the end of WWII.
The Brits are responding to their constituents. Note how many Brit mayors are now Muslim. The PM is going to voice the will of his voters. If he wants to be reelected.
Let them be a nation, and declare war for holding onto to the hostages. Ensure there are no repeat violation by doing to the new state what the Allies did to Germany.
Honestly, it sounds like starmer just gave Israel until September to wipe out the Palestinians.
The UK is just restating its position from 1947-1948. No state of Israel. Support the Arab-Muslim countries in exchange for access to Middle East oil resources. Disarm Israelis and Arm the Muslims surrounding Israel as the new state was about to be created. Again the UK is supporting Muslim terrorists after they failed in their attempt to destroy Israel. France and the UK have a long history of antisemitism. I wonder if that goes back to the days when the British kings refused to pay back loans they obtained from their Jewish residents so they could organize the crusaders and invade the “holy land.”
Starmer and his fellow travelers are living in LaLa land. Gaza is probably the worst choice for a “Palestinian” state. 20 years ago , Israel in an agreement of land for peace gave Gaza to displaced Arabs. . Do they not follow history or does history begin when they get up each morning? Gaza was the test case for a two state solution and has been an abysmal failure. 20 or so years ago, israel in an agreement with displaced Arab Muslims traded Gaza in a land for peace deal. Israel removed the Jewish settlers from the land and allowed self government and no IDF soldiers. So for the next 20 odd year’s Israelis have suffered extreme violence from the Arabs in Gaza. They violated that agreement and need to be removed from Gaza and the land returned to Israel. Maybe France and the UK can expand their Muslim quarter and relocate the displaced Arab Muslims to France and UK. The other Arab countries don’t want anyone from Gaza to relocate there Stop interfering in and attempting to destroy Israel and the Jewish people. Note as the establishment of Israel approached and the UK was about to give up its Mandate in the Middle East East, UK Soldiers did their best to disarm any Jews found with weapons and at the same time, the UK was turning their military arsenals to the Arab Muslim countries surrounding Israel and pledging it’s destruction. When Israel turned the tide of battle and was about to defeat the Arab invaders, the UN and UK came forward to force the Ismailis to retreat from their pending victory. The UN over the years has stepped in to rescue Arab invaders about to be destroyed by Israel. How many times must this be repeated. Bibi needs to tell Starmer and Macron where to stick their Muslim clients.
Just resign and call for new elections.
Anyone who still thinks Netanyahu’s Sits Krieg is somehow better than Gamelin holding Sits Krieg congratulations on this reality.
Hamas DOES NOT CARE about getting killed THEY WANT to become martyrs.
If the only thing Netanyahu is willing to do is kill Hamas personnel occasionally while holding out the DELUSION that Palestinians don’t want Hamas and ready to break out into a Victor Hugo style insurrection against them he needs to surrender.
The chance Israel is destroyed by Pariah state status if it surrenders now is overwhelming.
The chance of that happening with the Gaza War continuing indefinitely is 100%.
Whoever thought you could both claim it is an existential war while keeping the front static because you fear the military will fail to rescue 20 hostages is a good candidate for both stupidest and craziest person in history.
U.S. Army considers public opinion, international reaction, and national interest in addition to short term civilian casualties.
It looks to me like the University Israelis are in desperate need of learning from is West Point.
To sum up your attitude: why weed your garden? The weeds will only grow back.
U.S. Military does not take 3 years to take over a single city.
If victory is on the agenda Israel needs to do that victory now. If it isn’t the war needs to end.
Screw this weak beta male loser. How dare he lecture Israel in any way?? Worst PM of all time. Presiding over the fall of Great Britain…..and wants to pressure a nation fighting for its very existence? No way! Finish the job IDF.
Here are the total list of countries in Africa that are friendly to Israel
____
The sum total of friendly nations in South and Central America that are independently friendly (as oppossed to being effectively American vassal states)
Argentina but only as long as the current president is there
Here are the total number of friendly Asian countries
India
Europe is not disposable for Israel.
If Netanyahu wants to eliminate Hamas NOW is the time, especially after the price in Israel’s potential destruction it gave for that goal.
If he was lying about eliminating Hamas and just wants hostages NOW is the time to give a hundred trillion dollars, pledge that the next October 7th will be 50K Israelis, and pledge that all Hamas murderers are free.
Indefinite carnage is only an option if he wants Israel to be dismantled shortly.
Netanyahu reinvented Sits Krieg a loser doctrine that everyone else threw in the garbage when it failed France in 1940.
These are predictable consequences due to Netanyahu policy.
In 1948, the Arabs only wanted a one state solution. Today, Hamas (and Iran) only wants a one state solution. Oslo Accords gave them 90% of what they wanted, it wasn’t enough… even as a start.
Nobody likes indefinite warfare.
Netanyahu has the ability to get the IDF to win in a week.
It is time to do that or surrender in Gaza. The war is costing Israel her future.
BDS is having a field day right now.
If Netanyahu has made the decision he can’t push forward due to threats to 20 hostages it is time for him to end the war.
“Make Gaza Dresden Again”?
Danny’s right
Sh t or get off the pot.
Israel can make all the Palestinian dreams come true by making them ALL martyrs to Islam.
And, in so doing, end this nonsense.
Because, sadly, that is the ONLY way this nonsense will end.
yeah good call
but we all know this is a pr war as much as it is anything else and once again israel is at the wrong end of the keystrokes and since they cant ( or can they??) risk alienating the usa especially with a friend like djt at the helm
the only good that might come from that is americans who believe israel has the right to a peaceful existence will dethrone the dems by voting in yugeeee numbers in any upcoming elections
Israel should recognized Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and maybe London itself as independent states.
So when the various immigrant populations in the UK want to establish their own “states” in their hellhole enclaves, that will be totes ok, right?
It w0ld make it much easier to give them what they deserve.
The three powerhouses of the EU, acting more or less in sync, to undermine Jews and reward evil.
From the French I expect this sort of thing. And the Germans, well, the Germans will be German. But having the Brits go full terrorist-sympathizing (while pretending to want peace) is a disappointment. Not a surprise. Not with Starmer in charge but still a disappointment.
They have to….they can’t control the country anymore after all of this invasion they promoted. The UK is an ever increasing quasi-Islamic state.
Is it too late to eradicate the threat?
The Brits have always hated Jews. Now that they are effectively a muslim country, it’s worse.
Irv. This is nothing new for the Brits. 1948 and the Arab countries were about to invade the new State of Israel, the UK was giving up it’s Middle East mandate and was turning over its military arsenals to the local Arab countries. The UK spent its mandate time trying to confiscate any weapons found among the Jews. The UK was never a neutral party. It was seeking favor with Arab Countries for access to oil. I doubt that has changed to this day.
Might be time to start the tariff talks with the EU again. Move all our bases into Africa.
This sort of goofy decision should make one wonder about other shows of diplomatic favor/support from European Nations. Wag the dog is evident in other instances just as transparently as this attempt to appease certain domestic European demographic groups. I suspect a great many will reject what is hiding in plain sight.
Is that Prime Minister Starmer or Obergruppenführer Starmer?
Dhimmi Starmer
The Cuck Minister
One would think that the memory of Israel’s dealing with Iran (ballistic missiles, nuclear weapons program, sponsorship of Islamic Jihadists) would linger in the memories of the Europeans with some sense of gratitude for removing a worrisome threat. But I guess that memories are short and gratitude is limited. Or do they think that DJT and the USA will bail them out next time?
‘safe and secure’ Israel alongside a ‘viable and sovereign’ Palestinian state’
There is no such thing as the first part with the inclusion of the second part. No ‘Palestinian state’, only one state–Israel.
If it has not updated already, I think the Israeli equivalent of our old SIOP needs to be modified to account for France and Britain going over to the enemy. Mind you, they are already occupied by them.
Subotai Bahadur
the plo already has a place to live
but they are horrible tenants for the last hundreds ( or more) years
the uk has surrendered to the communistnazis their great grandfathers fought and died to stop
The UK put the
UK innnn f c
Starmer and the Labour Party have been a disaster for Britain. The Tories have been little better. Recently Reform Party leader Nigel Farage remarked: “Britain is facing nothing short of societal collapse,” Now this. How is Gaza a vital interest for Britain? Full disclosure: I am no fan of Britain given its history and behavior towards the Irish, the Boers, the Jews and Israel. Let’s not forget we fought two wars with them, and British troops burned the Capitol. In 1290 Edward I issued the “Edict of Expulsion” Expelling all Jews from England. The first European country to do so. Ok one could say that’s all ancient history, but the Mandate for Palestine isn’t. A British General fought with the Jordanians against Israel. Britain’s own WWII veterans express disgust with modern Britain as detailed in a recent book: “The Unknown Warriors” by Nicholas Pringle. The book is full of letters and opinions by ordinary folk– many regret having fought.
If I were president, I’d tell Starmer: “If you recgognize a Palestine State, the US will withdraw our ambassador and we will cease to recognize Britain.
I just ordered the Kindle version of that book; thanks for the tip.
As for Trump recalling the ambassador and ceasing recognition of the United Kingdom, that would give the Democrats as now constituted an excellent campaign bite: Trump and the GOP under the control of the Zionists blah blah blah.
US should recognize Northern Ireland as Ireland.
BOOM!!!
“the UK would recognize “Palestinian statehood” …… and no one cared.
What people aren’t remembering is that putting pressure on Israel hasn’t worked out the way they wanted in the past. If these morons don’t think that Israel won’t turn Gaza into a big sheet of glass then they haven’t been paying attention.
Make better arguments for Jews than the Holocaust card. You can’t win with being oppressed in a woke world because Palestine claims to be more oppressed and they’re brown and stupid, a winning combination.
Go play in traffic, Jew hater.
I have mentioned that Jews are crippled in argument by seeing antisemitism everywhere whether it’s there or not. This would be an example.
Antisemitism is legal. You beat it by refuting it.
Jews unfortunately are wedded to seeing antisemitism everywhere whether it’s there or not as a way to produce alienation and suppress (somewhat) assimilation, thus preserving the religion.
Part of that is playing the Holocaust card as a political privilege move, without much thought. That’s what locks them out of making a good argument against antisemitism. The Palestinians have their own Holocaust card and that one appeals to the left on campus because it involves stupid brown people instead of smart white people.
Try finding nice things to say about Jews instead. It’s not hard. They treat sick Palestinians in Israeli hospitals. They repeatedly offer mutually beneficial trade to Palestinians and each time Hamas blows it up or shoots it down. Why do Jews do this? It’s a commandment. Take care of the other guy. Every fact about God is a commandment: God is merciful means be merciful like Him.
Jewish Messianism (Sanhedrin 98b-99a) says every man is the Messiah. The Messiah has already come because Jews have come. Who takes on the suffering of the world if not the being who says “Me”?
Additionally the Jew’s position is every man’s position. Every man is a Jew. That’s why nice things to say about Jews are easy to find.
Now try to find something nice to say about Palestinians. There isn’t anything.
There’s your argument against antisemitism. The war is authorized by a right to self-defense, not by the Holocaust. Keep that straight.
Say nice things about Jews, contrast with Palestinians, drop the Holocaust.
Jews only see antisemitism everywhere to antisemites.
People that focus on Holocaust cards are antisemites.
Jews need no advice from antisemites.
In other words, be quiet and worry about your own maladies.
Did you not read that? Because your addlepated response suggests that you didn’t.
IQ shrinking. Better watch out or or become a simpleton.
How does one recognize something that does not, and never has, existed?
What a contemptibly emasculated and stupid decision/threat born of total dhimmitude, by Der Starmer.
Like Macron, this imbecile is manifestly and fecklessly attempting to placate/appease his country’s cohort of restive, subversive, Jew-hating Islamofascists and Muslim supremacists.
Macron and Starmer: “Let’s reward Arab “Palestinians'” genocidal terrorism with recognition of their corrupt, genocidal, terrorist state.”
Serious question-
How can Great Britain successfully deal with the islamic/immigration problem is has fostered? How can it regain its sovereignty?
It’s a fair question, and, it’s not only the U.K. that is facing this destructive threat — France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Australia, Canada, Ireland and Spain, are in the same leaking boat.
Somewhere in Hell, Hitler is laughing.
What a poor criterion for making such a large decision.
This guy is bad news. The next leader will have a lot to clean up, if it’s even possible.
Europeans are daffy. We made them too secure.
I suggest that Netanyahu tell UK, Germany and France, “OK, so long as you provide the military resources to enforce the peace and guarantee no rockets or invasions into Israel” – basically tell them to put up or shut up.
My tinfoil hat tells me that the arm parasite that had to abandon Brandon has found itself a new, warm cubbyhole in Starmer.
As an Englishman I can only apologise for our c-word of a Prime Minister to the rest of the world.
Actually, most of us didn’t vote for him. The UK has a multi-party system, and what happened was that our “Republicans” (near enough) were split between the Conservative and Reform party.
So he has a huge majority based on about 30% of the people who voted and about 20% of the population.
It is entirely internal politics ; his party, the Democrats are the nearest equivalent “Labour” is highly dependent on the Islamic block vote, and his politicians are agitating for it.
They’ve realised he’s a complete pushover.