UK warns Israel against retaliation after recognition of Palestinian state
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has warned Israel not to annex parts of the West Bank in response to Britain’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood.
Speaking ahead of a UN conference in New York on Monday, Cooper said she had made clear to her Israeli counterpart that “such actions must not happen.” She stressed the decision was about “protecting peace, justice, and security for both Israelis and Palestinians” and reviving prospects for a two-state solution, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK’s recognition of a Palestinian state, alongside Canada, Australia, and Portugal. France, Belgium, and other European nations are expected to follow. The move marks a significant shift in British foreign policy.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the recognition, calling it “a huge reward to terrorism.” The US also criticised the move, describing it as a “diplomatic gift to Hamas.” Starmer rejected this, insisting Hamas would have “no future, no role in government, no role in security.”
The recognition comes amid growing international pressure over Israel’s war in Gaza. A UN commission last week accused Israel of committing genocide, with nearly 65,000 people
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