Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement to recognise the State of Palestine at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, accusing the UK of rewarding terrorism and endangering peace.

“Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims. A jihadist state on Israel’s border today will threaten Britain tomorrow,” Netanyahu’s office posted on X. He warned that appeasement of terrorist groups like Hamas is bound to fail.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry echoed the criticism, saying the UK’s shift in stance comes under political pressure and undermines ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli hostages.

“The decision is a reward for Hamas and damages any possibility of progress toward a ceasefire or a hostage deal,” the Foreign Ministry stated in its official response.

The strong rebuke followed Starmer’s statement on Tuesday, where he confirmed that the UK would recognise Palestine during the UN General Assembly in September unless Israel takes significant steps toward peace.

The UK has demanded that Israel allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, commit to no further annexations in the West Bank, agree to a ceasefire, and actively pursue a two-state solution.

In his statement, Starmer made it clear that Hamas must release all hostages, disarm, and play no role in governing Gaza if peace is to be viable.

The UK’s decision aligns with similar moves by France and reflects mounting international pressure on Israel to act toward ending the prolonged conflict in Gaza and reviving peace talks.