Isaac Herzog and Keir Starmer clash at Downing Street over Palestine plan
"When allies meet they can argue", Israel's president says during his visit to London ahead of the expected recognition of a Palestinian state later this month
Keir Starmer and Isaac Herzog have clashed over the UK’s plan to recognise a Palestinian state later this month during a “frank and open” meeting at Downing Street.
The UK Prime Minister “firmly rejected” the Israeli president’s claim that the UK government was rewarding Hamas with a declaration of a Palestinian state that Herzog claimed “won’t bring peace.”
Israel’s president had arrived at Downing Street on Wednesday afternoon to be greeted by Starmer at the doors of No.10 just before 4.45pm. The pair shook hands, but there was none of the warm embraces reserved for other world leaders in recent months from Starmer.
Herzog failed to respond to questions from journalists about Israeli strikes in Qatar aimed at wiping out the Hamas leaders. The PM also ignored a question on whether the UK is “still a friend of Israel?”
Inside the meeting Herzog later admitted that “things that were said were tough and strong”, but Israel’s president insisted ” when allies meet they can argue”.
A UK government source also told Jewish News Wednesday afternoon’s meeting was a “frank and tense one” as the pair expressed different views around Israel’s conduct in Gaza, and had a “major difference of opinion” over Palestine recognition.
Herzog later admitted: “Keir Starmer reiterated that he believed Hamas is a terrorist organisation that must be removed.”
But he said Israel was being “punished” if the UK and other states move to Palestinian state recognition at the United Nations General Assembly on September 23rd.
In a statement ahead of the meeting, a spokesperson for Herzog’s office said: “Against the backdrop of recent statements by… Starmer and members of his government regarding Israel, the UK’s expected decision to recognise a Palestinian state and the ugly wave of antisemitism across Britain, President Isaac Herzog will today… voice firm opposition to the British Government’s recent stance on Israel.
“The president will express strong objections to the British Government’s intention to recognise a Palestinian state, and protest the notion of sanctions against the only democracy in the Middle East.
Herzog added that he and Starmer had discussed “at length” recognition of a Palestinian state, saying: “We believe that a unilateral resolution regarding a Palestinian state will be adverse and negatively affect any future process, because it will be dangerous.
“It won’t help one Palestinian, one hostage, and can be adversely interpreted by Hamas.”
A Downing Street spokesperson later said of the meeting: “The Prime Minister met the President of Israel Isaac Herzog in Downing Street this afternoon.
“He condemned Israel’s action in Doha yesterday as completely unacceptable. He said the strikes were a flagrant violation of a key partner’s sovereignty and do nothing to secure the peace we all desperately want to see.
“Turning to Gaza, he reiterated his huge concern and implored Israel to change course. They must stop the manmade famine from worsening further by letting aid in and halting their offensive operations, he added
“The leaders agreed that the hostages who were cruelly ripped by Hamas from their families nearly two years ago must be released. The Prime Minister also shared his condolences for the horrifying terror attack in Jerusalem on Monday, making clear that the UK stands against the abhorrent terrorism Israel has endured since October 7th.
“The Prime Minister finished by saying that the UK and Israel are longstanding allies, and he will continue his work to secure an enduring peace and a better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people alike. Both leaders were clear that Hamas will play absolutely no role in this future.”
A red smoke canister was thrown by a protester towards the Israeli president’s convoy of vehicles as it left Downing Street.
Police were seen detaining a person and removing the smoke canister after the convoy continued down Whitehall.
The meeting at Downing Street went ahead without a major protest though. Pro-Palestine campaigners had wrongly believed Starmer was meeting Herzog at the HQ of the Chatham House think tank in central London, and congregated there at 5.30pm.
Herzog spoke at the venue at 6pm, following his meeting with Starmer at No.10. At Chatham House Herzog defended his country’s strikes on Qatar, saying it was necessary to “remove some of the people if they are not willing to get a deal”.
Insisting that Israel wanted an end to the war, Mr Herzog said: “In England, I understand that there is a very strong one streak of thought, but I’m trying to present a different streak to a very decent nation that should listen to that streak.
“For example, Hamas’s decision process requires consent. All you need is one person to say no and there’s no deal. And if you want to move on, you have to remove some of the people if they are not willing to get that deal.”
He added that he had not been informed about the strikes on Qatar in advance as he was flying to the UK.
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