Israeli president, in UK to talk with British Jewry, meets with Starmer

Israeli President Isaac Herzog and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in London on Wednesday. Both said that it had been a tense exchange, with Herzog firmly opposing the U.K. government’s stance on Israel and Starmer criticizing the Jewish state over the war against Hamas in Gaza and Tuesday’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar.

The meeting was only announced on the second day of the president’s visit to London at the invitation of the Jewish community.

Herzog, speaking at Chatham House—the Royal Institute of International Affairs—a London-based think tank, directly after the meeting described it as difficult, The Guardian reported.

“It was a meeting between allies, but it was a tough meeting,” Herzog said. “Things were said that were tough and strong, and clearly we can argue, because when allies meet, they can argue. We are both democracies. We both understand the threat from the jihadists.”

Herzog said he rejected claims of famine in the Gaza Strip and proposed a fact-finding mission to examine the flow of aid into Gaza. He blamed the high civilian death toll on Hamas’s practice of storing missiles in and firing them from civilian homes.

Herzog offered no apology for Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, accusing Qatar of siding with the terrorist organization rather than acting as a neutral mediator, The Guardian reported.

He said sanctions against Israel and its leaders were “unacceptable.”

Herzog also condemned Britain’s intention to recognize a Palestinian state, warning it would be “dangerous” and undermine future peace efforts. Such a unilateral move would not benefit Palestinians or the hostages in Gaza and could instead embolden Hamas, he said.

Starmer similarly characterized the meeting as “tough,” marked by sharp exchanges over aid to Gaza as protests took place outside demanding Herzog’s arrest as a war criminal.

Starmer condemned Israel’s strike in Doha, calling it a “flagrant violation” of a key partner’s sovereignty that undermines efforts for peace, The Guardian reported.

Downing Street defended the meeting between Herzog, the prime minister and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, which drew criticism from Labour MPs, who accused the government of being too lenient with Israel, with some branding it a “rogue state.”

No. 10 said one of the aims of the meeting was to push Israel to allow more injured children and students from Gaza to be evacuated to the United Kingdom.

The meeting three days after Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas arrived in London for a three-day visit at Starmer’s invitation.

The two men met to advance the P.A.’s “bilateral relations” with London and coordinate ahead of the expected decision by the United Kingdom to recognize a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly later this month.

Herzog brought up the plight of Israeli hostages during the remarks at Chatham House, holding up pictures of twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, who turned 28 in Hamas captivity on Wednesday, nearly two years after being abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

“This is Gali and Ziv. Their fate is unknown. They, and 46 other innocent hostages, are held in brutal captivity. The key to changing the entire future of the region—the only way to open the door to peace—is to bring the hostages home,” Herzog said.

Herzog emphasized that Jerusalem has accepted every serious proposal from mediators—including the United States, Egypt and Qatar—while Hamas has repeatedly refused or delayed.

“Israel is ready today for a full hostage deal and a ceasefire. But for that to happen, Hamas must simply say ‘Yes.’ One rejection from a single Hamas leader is enough to block progress. That is the obstacle,” the president said.

Herzog concluded his remarks by reminding the audience that Israel’s fight is not only for its own survival, but for shared democratic values: “We are defending Europe and the free world with the blood of our sons and daughters. Our message is simple: Help us bring the hostages home, defeat Hamas and build a future of peace.”