Jerusalem, Israeli Hostage Families accuse Britain and France of rewarding terrorism by moving toward Palestinian statehood while hostages remain in Gaza tunnels, urging diplomacy built on justice, not appeasement.
The British government is defending its decision to move forward with recognition of a Palestinian state, rejecting accusations that it is rewarding Hamas for its October 7 massacre. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that the United Kingdom will formally recognize Palestine in September at the UN General Assembly unless Israel takes what he described as “substantive steps” to improve the situation in Gaza and revive negotiations.
The proposed conditions outlined by Starmer include an end to active fighting, acceptance of a ceasefire, a halt to West Bank annexation, humanitarian access to Gaza, and a commitment to a two-state solution. He added that Hamas must immediately release all hostages, disarm, and play no role in Gaza’s governance.
Starmer told Parliament, “Recognition is not a gift to Hamas. Meanwhile, our message to the terrorists of Hamas is unchanged and unequivocal. They must immediately release all of the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy, speaking in New York, further asserted that the UK is acting to keep alive the prospect of a two-state solution, which he said was being undermined by the current Israeli government. “The Netanyahu government’s rejection of a two‑state solution is wrong,” Lammy said. “It harms the interest of the Israeli people and their future as a democratic Jewish state.”
The UK’s announcement followed France’s declaration days earlier. President Emmanuel Macron said that France would also recognize Palestinian statehood at the September UN session. “True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the state of Palestine,” Macron said. His foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, described the move as part of a coordinated European effort.
Barrot also stated that several Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar, would issue a joint call for Hamas to disarm and withdraw from Gaza in an effort to build international consensus for recognition. French officials framed this as a broader diplomatic shift, intended to isolate Hamas and restore a legitimate Palestinian partner for negotiations.
But in Israel, these announcements have triggered a wave of condemnation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X, “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.”
In a separate statement, Netanyahu said, “The intention of several European countries to recognize a Palestinian state is a reward for terrorism. This would be a terrorist state. It would try to carry out the October 7 massacre again and again — and that, we shall not agree to. Rewarding terrorism will not bring peace and neither will it stop us from defeating Hamas.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz echoed that view, calling France’s plan “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism.” He warned that such diplomatic moves would encourage further violence and undermine regional stability. “A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it,” Katz said.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a formal statement calling the UK’s decision “a reward for Hamas that harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages.”
The most impassioned response came from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the relatives of approximately 50 hostages still believed to be held captive by Hamas in Gaza. The group issued a statement condemning the recognition moves as morally indefensible and diplomatically destructive.
“Recognizing a Palestinian state while 50 hostages remain trapped in Hamas tunnels amounts to rewarding terrorism,” the group said. “Such recognition is not a step toward peace, but rather a clear violation of international law and a dangerous moral and political failure that legitimizes horrific war crimes.”
They added, “The abduction of men, women, and children, who are being held against their will in tunnels while subjected to starvation and physical and psychological abuse, cannot and should not serve as the foundation for establishing a state.”
They concluded, “Recognition of a Palestinian state before the hostages are returned will be remembered throughout history as validating terrorism as a legitimate pathway to political goals. The essential first step toward ensuring a better future for all peoples must be the release of all hostages through a single, comprehensive deal.”
Roughly 20 hostages are believed to be alive, according to Israeli security officials. The fate of the others remains unknown. Negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt have stalled, and IDF rescue operations continue under great risk.
In Washington, the Biden administration has not supported unilateral recognition. But it is under growing pressure from both sides. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking from Scotland, said: “You’re rewarding Hamas if you do that. I don’t think they should be rewarded. I’m not in that camp, to be honest.” He also confirmed he had not discussed the matter with Prime Minister Starmer.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement last week opposing France’s plan, saying, “The United States strongly rejects [Macron’s] plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly.”
On Capitol Hill, Senator Jim Risch, ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that recognizing Palestinian statehood while Hamas remains in control of Gaza “sends the wrong message and undercuts any hope for real peace.”
Germany has also voiced reservations. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Berlin would not support recognition “under fire” and reaffirmed that recognition should only follow direct negotiations and durable peace. Austria’s foreign minister likewise warned against unilateral moves.
At the United Nations, France and Saudi Arabia hosted a joint conference this week urging implementation of a two-state framework. Israel and the United States boycotted the session, arguing that the focus on recognition while hostages remain captive and Hamas remains armed is both untimely and inappropriate.
Demonstrations in Tel Aviv took place outside the UK and French embassies following the announcements. Protesters held signs with the faces of hostages and chanted for their release. The message from both families and officials was consistent: recognition should come after peace, not instead of it.
Israeli diplomatic efforts are now focused on urging European countries not to follow Britain and France. Norwegian, Irish, Spanish, Slovenian, and Maltese governments have already recognized Palestine, and Jerusalem fears a domino effect if further recognitions are announced before the September UN session.
According to a senior Israeli official, “What we’re seeing now is the normalization of terror diplomacy. It sends a dangerous signal — that crimes against humanity can be leveraged for political gain.”
As the countdown to September continues, Israel remains firm in its opposition, hostage families grow more desperate, and the global diplomatic battle over Palestinian statehood sharpens. Whether peace can emerge from this rift—or whether it will embolden those who believe violence yields results—may depend on what Europe does next.
Mr Starmer, you had best get a crash course in Islam, before you lose your head for ignorant folly! ALL Muslims are required to practice jihad; and while not all forms thereof are overtly violent, ALL jihad has 1 single goal: conquest and subjugation to Islam! Their values are not yours, and you, too, will be subjugated or killed.