‘A reward for terrorism’: Government’s Palestinian recognition spurs communal anger

Jewish communal organisations have responded with anger to the government’s announcement of its recognition of a Palestinian state, with it being labelled “a betrayal of the hostages and a reward for terrorism”.

In a speech by Keir Starmer today, the UK Prime Minister confirmed that the UK, alongside other countries including Australia and Canada, would now recognise a Palestinian State. Starmer claimed this recognition was “not a reward for Hamas, because it means that Hamas can have no future. No role in government, no role in security.”

This view of the announcement of Palestinian recognition was not shared by Hamas, which hailed the move as “an important step in confirming the right of our Palestinian people to their land and holy sites, and to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. This is a gesture to the struggle, steadfastness and sacrifices of our people on the path to liberation and return.” Senior Hamas officials have previously described planned recognition by the UK and other Western countries as “one of the fruits of 7 October”.

The Jewish Leadership Council responded starkly to the government’s announcement, stating that “Almost two years ago, as Jews around the world were celebrating the festival of Simchat Torah, Hamas unleashed a wave of barbaric terror, murdering over 1200 innocent men, women and children, and abducting 251. Since then, Britain’s Jewish community has been subjected to record levels of antisemitism, directly fuelled by the horrors of that day.

“Today, as we prepare to celebrate Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, the UK government will formally recognise a Palestinian state.  This is nothing short of a betrayal of the hostages and a reward for terrorism. It will make peace even more elusive.

“Lasting peace will only come when Hamas disarms and relinquishes power in Gaza, and when the Palestinians establish truly democratic institutions.”

The Board of Deputies described “deep dismay at the Prime Minister’s announcement across the Jewish community and among family members of hostages. As we feared and warned, the way the UK has chosen to recognise a Palestinian state has done nothing to advance a ceasefire, free the hostages, stop the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, or advance long-term peace. It may have set those goals back, by reducing pressure on Hamas and enabling them to claim recognition as the ‘fruits’ of its violence and intransigence.

“We will continue to press the government on how it will now use Britain’s diplomatic leverage to bring about the release of the hostages, two of whom have British family; end Hamas’ reign of terror, and meaningfully enhance conditions for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.”

The government had ignored public messages from the families of hostages still being held by Hamas, pleading for the step to be put on hold until after all those who remain in captivity are released. Ahead of the official recognition , hostages wrote to Starmer, telling him that “your regrettable announcement to recognise a Palestinian state… has dramatically complicated efforts to bring home our loved ones…we write to you with a simple plea – do not take this step until our loved ones are home and in our arms.”

According to a survey by JL Partners published by The Telegraph yesterday, only 13 percent of British citizens – and just 11 percent of Labour voters – supported Keir Starmer recognising a Palestinian state without conditions. 51 percent of respondents were against such recognition while Hamas still controls Gaza and retains the hostages it has kept captive.

Immediately after Starmer’s announcement, the Foreign Office revealed that it had updated its maps of the region – having previously described the West Bank as “Occupied Palestinian territories”, they were now labelled “Palestine”.

In a letter from Starmer to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the UK Prime Minister described the UK’s recognition as a “historic moment”, saying that “our Foreign Secretary will write to your Foreign Minister to take forward the process of establishing full diplomatic relations”, and said he looked forward to a “close and constructive relationship between our two states”. Starmer also told Abbas, who was elected President for a four-year term in 2006 and has served in that role ever since despite the lack of further elections, that he commended  “the important commitments you have made on reform”.

On Friday Chief Rabbi Mirvis described the “unconditional recognition of a Palestinian State by the British Government” as a “reward for terrorism” and said it would “prove to be a historic error of foreign policy, which will only impede the cause of peace”.

Responding to today’s announcement, the co-leads of the Progressive Judaism, Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy, described how “this moment is painful. With the trauma of 7 October still so raw, and the plight of the hostages an open wound, recognition feels to many like a reward for violence or a diminishment of their suffering.

“We remain absolutely clear: terror must never be rewarded. The taking of hostages, the rejection of Israel’s right to exist, and the targeting of civilians must be condemned without qualification. The release of all hostages and the disarming of Hamas are non-negotiable.

“At the same time, there are those who through their pain will welcome the principle of recognition: as a statement that peace must remain possible, and that the two-state solution remains the only sustainable path to peace, security and dignity for two peoples whose futures are bound together.”

The rabbis accused the government of having “not done enough to explain the difference that this can make, or to give meaning to this decision. It must do more… to lead the wider international effort to build a credible framework for peace, and to bring genuine investment in the infrastructure of peace. Without this, recognition will do little to advance security or dignity for either Palestinians or Israelis and may prove to be counterproductive.”

In response to the announcement from the UK and others, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had “a clear message to those leaders who are recognizing a Palestinian state after the horrendous 7 October massacre: You are rewarding terror with an enormous prize.

“And I have another message for you: It’s not going to happen. There will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan River.”

Netanyahu’s statement went on to say that “For years I have prevented the creation of that terror state, against tremendous pressure, both domestic and from abroad. We have done this with determination, and with astute statesmanship. Moreover, we have doubled the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, and we will continue on this path.”

The Israeli Prime Minister ended by promising that “the response to the latest attempt to force upon us a terror state in the heart of our land will be given after my return from the United States. Stand by.” Observers have speculated that the Israeli government may respond to the move by Western countries by officially annexing the West Bank – a move it has previously avoided, having shelved plans to do so in 2020.