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By Gabe Whisnant and Sonam Sheth
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President Donald Trump publicly broke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer after Starmer said that Britain will recognize Palestine as a state unless Israel meets specific conditions related to its actions in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
The U.S. "is not in that camp," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Why It Matters
Israel has been waging a war with Hamas in Gaza since the group carried out a terrorist attack on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023. In the nearly two years since, Israel has unleashed a devastating counterattack in Gaza that has killed tens of thousands of people, many of whom were children.
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The Israeli government has come under additional scrutiny over the last several days, after multiple news outlets published photos and other accounts showing widespread starvation gripping the Gaza Strip.
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What To Know
Starmer said earlier Tuesday that Britain will recognize Palestine in September unless Israel meets specific conditions, including allowing for a ceasefire, permitting United Nations aid into the territory as it battles a hunger crisis bordering on famine and more.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that recognizing Palestine would serve Hamas and that the U.S. "is not in that camp," Axios' Barak Ravid wrote on X.
The U.S. president's comments breaking with Starmer came after he separately told reporters earlier, "I don't mind him taking a position" on Palestinian statehood.
Starmer said Tuesday that Britain will recognize a state of Palestine before the UN General Assembly, "unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution."
He added: "And this includes allowing the UN to restart the supply of aid, and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank."
The UK prime minister has faced mounting pressure from Britons to take action on the Israel-Gaza conflict, especially in light of the widespread starvation ravaging the strip. Starmer convened a rare summertime Cabinet meeting to discuss the situation and he also separately spoke to Trump about the crisis, according to the Associated Press.
Starmer's ultimatum regarding Palestinian statehood came after French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that France will recognize Palestine as a state in September, making it the first Group of Seven (G7) power and the largest European country to take that step.
More than 140 countries recognize a Palestinian state, including about a dozen European nations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted Starmer over the UK's decision, saying it "rewards Hamas' monstrous terrorism" and "punishes its victims," according to Sky News.
The Israeli leader added: "Appeasement towards jihadists terrorists always fails. It will fail you, too. It will not happen."
What People Are Saying
Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, told The Telegraph Starmer's announcement was a "slap in the face" for the victims of October 7 and "rewards Hamas," adding: "It allows it to continue. It gives one group hope, and that's Hamas. It is a rewarding of that kind of behavior."
She said: "There's one group that benefits from the images, the reality of the horribleness, and that's Hamas. And so there's a reason why they don't cooperate and stop."
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said at a UN meeting on Tuesday: "Our support for Israel, its right to exist, and the security of its people, is steadfast. However, the Balfour Declaration came with the solemn promise that nothing shall be done, nothing which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of the Palestinian people as well. And colleagues, this has not been upheld, and it is a historical injustice which continues to unfold."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted on X: "The United Kingdom is joining the momentum created by France for the recognition of the state of Palestine."
Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon responded to the two-state solution conference at the UN and to the UK's announcement: "Israel has already agreed many times to a ceasefire. No token recognition and no UN resolution will change the basic fact that there are those in the world who fight terrorists and extremist forces and then there are those who turn a blind eye to them or rest to appeasement. The State of Israel will not lower its waiver after Hamas atrocities of October 7th. We will do whatever is necessary to bring home the hostages and defeat Hamas."
What Happens Next
Both the UK and France are set to recognize Palestine as a state in September if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire in Gaza and allow for the resumption of humanitarian aid via the UN.
Update 7/29/25, 3:29 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and comments.
The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.
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