UK prime minister Keir Starmer has rejected pressure from more than 130 Labour MPs to recognise a Palestinian state, distancing the UK from France’s controversial decision and avoiding a diplomatic clash with visiting U.S. President Donald Trump.
The move follows French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that he will formally recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September—an act condemned by Israel and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “a reward for terror” and a “slap in the face” to the victims of Hamas’s October 7 attack.
Starmer declined to follow suit, insisting recognition must come only at a time of “maximum utility” and be part of a broader plan to secure a ceasefire, return the hostages, and restore aid to Gaza. “Recognition has to be part of a wider pathway to peace,” he said.
Trump, who arrives in Scotland on Saturday for talks with Starmer at Turnberry, dismissed Macron’s move as irrelevant: “What he says doesn’t matter.”
Starmer’s refusal risks widening divisions within his own party, but reflects concerns that premature recognition could derail a potential US-UK trade deal. Israel warned Macron’s decision could embolden Hamas and undermine the chances of a real two-state solution.
