Kemi Badenoch has accused Sir Keir Starmer of giving Hamas a “reward for terrorism” amid reports the UK could recognise a Palestinian state as early as Sunday.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, the Conservative leader said she would “never apologise for standing by Israel when it strikes back against terrorism”, and said Labour’s foreign policy was to “condemn our allies, indulge our adversaries and hand away our sovereignty”.
Her comments come as the Government is expected to announce its formal recognition of Palestine.
Sir Keir announced plans to recognise a Palestinian state in July, saying he would do so during the UN General Assembly meeting in September if Israel did not take “substantive steps” towards peace in Gaza.
There has been no ceasefire and the situation in Gaza has deteriorated, with a declaration of a famine in Gaza City and the expansion of Israeli military operations.
The Times reported that Sir Keir intends to recognise a Palestinian state on Sunday, the day before the UN General Assembly’s general debate begins in New York.
The move would spark a diplomatic row with Israel and the US.
During a visit to London last week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said recognising Palestine “won’t help one Palestinian, one hostage” and could be “adversely interpreted by Hamas”.
During a joint press conference with the Prime Minister at Chequers on Thursday, Donald Trump said he disagreed with recognition, although he did not repeat previous comments that it would reward Hamas.
At the same press conference, Sir Keir denied that he was waiting for the US president to leave the UK before announcing recognition, saying he had “made my position clear at the end of July, so the timing, it’s got nothing to do with this state visit”.
But he said Hamas could have “no part in any future governance in Palestine”, adding the group “don’t want a two-state solution. They don’t want peace, they don’t want a ceasefire”.
