Donald Trump reaffirmed his opposition to an impending UK decision regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state, but he did not take the opportunity to personally urge Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reconsider the matter.
At a joint news briefing during his state visit to the UK, Trump remarked, “I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score — one of our few disagreements actually,” in response to Starmer’s intention to proceed with the recognition. However, he refrained from calling on Starmer to reverse his position.
Britain has been expected to fulfill its commitment to recognize Palestine, citing Israel’s failure to meet conditions necessary for a ceasefire in Gaza. According to Bloomberg News, officials aimed to delay this announcement until after Trump’s visit concluded to avoid a potential diplomatic rift.
Starmer characterized the recognition of Palestinian statehood as part of a broader solution that he hopes will lead to a secure Israel and an independent Palestinian state, stating, “part of the overall package which hopefully takes us from the appalling situation we’re in now to the outcome of a safe and secure Israel, which we do not have, and a Palestinian state.”
Amid these developments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is advancing plans for a significant ground operation in Gaza City, which is a stronghold for Hamas. This action follows weeks of airstrikes in the region.
In a notable shift, France, Australia, Canada, and the UK are expected to utilize the upcoming annual UN General Assembly in New York to become the first major Western nations to officially recognize an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, joining around 147 other countries. These plans have faced backlash from Israel and the United States, which has prohibited senior Palestinian officials from attending the UN gathering.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews, along with similar organizations in Australia and Canada, released a joint statement expressing concern that the planned recognitions may inadvertently diminish pressure on Hamas to release all hostages. The statement emphasized their apprehension, asserting that governments’ announcements regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN could be interpreted by Hamas as a reward for its violence and rejectionism toward Israel.
This report includes contributions from William Standring and Kate Sullivan.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to the text.
