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‘A jihadist state on Israel’s border’—Netanyahu slams UK

The Israeli prime minister warned that recognizing a Palestinian state would reward Hamas and endanger British security.

Keir Starmer
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer calls Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from 10 Downing Street on Oct. 1, 2024. Credit: Simon Dawson/No. 10 Downing Street.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday criticized the United Kingdom’s pledge to recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Jerusalem ends the war in Gaza and meets a series of demands.

In a statement posted to X, Netanyahu accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of “rewarding Hamas’s monstrous terrorism and punishing its victims.”

Netanyahu continued: “A jihadist state on Israel’s border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW. Appeasement toward jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen.”

The Israeli Foreign Ministry also responded, stating that 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,” added the ministry.

“This is a strategic move designed to ensure Israel’s technological superiority, accelerate development in the field of AI, and maintain Israel’s position in the first line of world powers,” according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
“There are certainly many possibilities; we are prepared for any scenario,” the premier said.
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