US urges Starmer not to recognise Palestinian state as UK debate widens

The United States has urged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to recognise a Palestinian state, warning that such a move would be deeply troubling and could reward Hamas. The stance comes as Starmer signaled he could formalise recognition as early as Sunday, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, if Israel does not take substantive steps toward peace in Gaza.

In a chorus of opposition from U.S. lawmakers, a letter from Republican leaders urged Starmer’s government to oppose recognition and other allied leaders to resist the move. The note from Elise Stefanik, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, and Senator Rick Scott argued the gesture would set a dangerous precedent that violence, not diplomacy, is the more expedient path for groups like Hamas to pursue political aims. The letter was backed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who said it would be baffling and deeply troubling to reward Hamas with statehood before they have returned every hostage.

The political dispute has spilled into Britain’s own foreign-policy debate. Conservative foreign secretary Kemi Badenoch wrote in The Daily Telegraph that a Palestinian state recognition would amount to giving Hamas a “reward for terrorism,” alleging Labour’s foreign policy was inclined to condemn allies while courting adversaries and ceding sovereignty. Badenoch’s criticism reflected a broader Republican line accusing Starmer’s Labour Party of weakening Britain’s stance on security in pursuit of a two-state solution.

There has been no ceasefire in Gaza, and the humanitarian crisis has worsened, with Gaza City’s declaration of famine and expanding Israeli military operations. In London last week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned that recognition would not help any Palestinian or hostage and could be interpreted unfavorably by Hamas. Australia, France and Canada have all committed to recognising a Palestinian state at the United Nations, underscoring a growing international divide on the question.

During a joint press conference with Starmer at Chequers on Thursday, former U.S. President Donald Trump said he disagreed with recognition, adding fuel to the political debate that has roiled both sides of the Atlantic. Starmer has insisted that his position did not hinge on a visit by the U.S. president, 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.” He asserted that Hamas could have “no part in any future governance in Palestine” and argued the group “don’t want a two-state solution. They don’t want peace, they don’t want a ceasefire.”

Australia, France and Canada have all signaled they will recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations, aligning with a broader international push but drawing stark contrasts with U.S. congressional opposition and some European cautions. Starmer’s plan has heightened tensions with major U.S. allies that see recognition as potentially undermining peace talks and endangering hostages.

As the UN General Assembly opens, the UK government faces a delicate balancing act between reaffirming a push for peace and managing a volatile regional crisis that shows little sign of easing. Herzog’s comments, the Republican letters, and the cross-Atlantic debate over the legitimacy and timing of Palestinian statehood all signal a broader contest over how to frame diplomacy in Gaza’s aftermath. Starmer has not indicated he will back down, but Wednesday’s remarks from U.S. and allied officials suggest that a formal recognition could complicate Washington’s own approach to Middle East diplomacy and potentially strain transatlantic cohesion on the issue. The situation remains fluid as world leaders prepare for the UN gathering and negotiations that could redefine Britain’s and its allies’ stance on statehood and security in the region.