Prime Minister announces Britain is to recognise a state of Palestine
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that the UK would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire.
In a statement, he said: “So today, as part of this process towards peace, I can confirm the UK will recognise the state of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September unless the Israeli Government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two state solution.”
He did not appear to impose any conditions at all on Hamas.
This was then confirmed in the subsequent days by the Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, who explained why UK policy is to appease Hamas and pressure Israel: “Hamas is a terrorist organisation and we don’t put conditions on them because we don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
In other words, because Hamas is a terrorist organisation, the British Government will not put conditions on it, whereas because Israel is an ally, it will threaten it with an ultimatum.
That is some warped logic.
Hamas, which murdered 1,200 people in cold blood and abducted hundreds of innocents, will be rewarded with recognition regardless of whether or not it releases the hostages.
Any Hamas terrorist listening to the Prime Minister or the Business Secretary will have clearly understood that they need do nothing at all to receive their reward in September. Indeed, a senior Hamas official has welcomed the announcement, concluding that “International support for Palestinian self-determination shows we are moving in the right direction” and that “victory and liberation are closer than we expected”.
Two successive governments have now pledged that they would do everything possible to secure the release of the hostages. The events of this week have shown just how hollow those promises have been. Representatives of the families of British hostages have, following a meeting with officials, effectively confirmed that the Government has severed any connection between the release of the hostages and its plan to recognise a state of Palestine. As the representatives put it, the Government’s so-called Vision for Peace may well involve Jewish hostages continuing to rot in Hamas dungeons.
Our Prime Minister’s declaration is morally indefensible.
There are still hostages held in torturous conditions in Hamas dungeons in Gaza. Were they released, there would be a ceasefire immediately, as Israel and the United States have repeatedly said.
Sir Keir Starmer should be saying that he will take the issue of Palestinian statehood off the table if the hostages are not returned by September or sooner. Instead, he has decided to brandish recognition of a Palestinian state as a threat against the world’s only Jewish state as it seeks to retrieve the hostages still held nearly two years after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
This announcement sends the worst possible message: that mass murder, rape and hostage-taking are legitimate paths to diplomatic gain. This is not a step toward peace; it is a dangerous precedent. This is not about justice, peace or a negotiated two-state solution. This is about appeasement, and it will only embolden extremists, including Hamas, who now know that they need only hang on until September — holding the hostages and looting aid — to receive their reward.
Recognition of a Palestinian state should never be wielded as a political weapon. Doing so in the aftermath of an antisemitic pogrom is not only reckless: it is shameful.
“Smash the Zionist terrorist state!”
Footage showed Palestine protesters in our nation’s capital last week chanting: “Smash the Zionist terrorist state!”
80% of British Jews consider themselves to be Zionists; only 6% do not.
Other hideous slogans seen and heard included: “Zionism, terrorism!”; “This is your Holocaust,” in an apparent reference to Gaza; “Resistance isn’t a crime”; and “Deaf to the IOF [sic]” in reference to a recently popularised chant against the IDF.
According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is an example of antisemitism.
Meanwhile, thousands of Palestine Action supporters are reportedly planning to flout terror laws in a coordinated attempt to overwhelm the police this weekend.
The plot, which we have been closely monitoring, by supporters of the terrorist organisation Palestine Action puts the lie to the common belief in Britain that terrorism cannot be popular.
Not only are Palestine Action and its tactics of sabotage and wanton destruction, criminal damage and intimidation of the Jewish community more popular in Britain than anyone would like to admit, but after over a year and a half of such limited repercussions for extremists in our country, what reason do they have to fear the state or indeed a society whose cultural and civic institutions tolerate and in some cases even appear to celebrate their conduct?
One of the organisations involved in this plot is Defend our Juries, whose name was attached to briefing documents circulated in advance that we have seen. The group seems to have made it a priority to encourage people to express support for Palestine Action, which is illegal.
We have reported the group to Counter Terrorism Policing and the Metropolitan Police, and they must now take immediate steps. Inaction sends a dangerous message about enforcement of our laws and broadcasts that extremism has no consequences. The way to deter large-scale flouting of the law is to enforce it against those organising the activism.
If the police are overwhelmed, we have the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, to blame. He has devoted his tenure as Britain’s top policeman to emboldening extremists. They believe that they have nothing to fear from him. He has given them every reason to think so.
It is past time to make them think otherwise.
Caprice: “I don’t recognise this country anymore.”
Supermodel Caprice Bourret has said that she has removed her mezuzah from her door out of fear for her safety.
“I don’t recognise this country anymore. Nobody should feel afraid or intimidated because of their religion. The whole concept is bizarre to me, but it’s happening right now,” she said.
Her experience of being Jewish in London illustrates just how bad antisemitism is in the UK right now.
Only one-third of British Jews believe that Jews have a long-term future in the UK, according to our representative polling.
Britain is losing its soul and losing the plot. This country needs to wake up urgently.
Join us and the thousands who have already signed up on 7th September in Central London for Britain’s March Against Antisemitism.
Sign up now at antisemitism.org/march.
The Express replies to Campaign Against Antisemitism over debunked ‘Madonna and child’ photograph
A clickbait image that went around the world before landing on the front page of The Express and being cited by numerous major media outlets across the world has now been debunked.
The child in this harrowing image is not suffering from malnutrition but from a genetic disorder, which is the cause of his gaunt appearance, as the researcher David Collier uncovered.
Real journalists would have investigated that before running it – but real journalists are very few and far between these days, especially when it comes to reporting on the Jewish state.
We wrote to The Express calling for a prominent retraction and apology.
The newspaper has a duty to investigate and verify its stories prior to publication—a basic standard of professional journalism. That duty becomes even more important when publishing emotive and potentially misleading images of minors in order to attract reader attention.
A clarification was added to the online article noting the child’s pre-existing health issues. However, this was a later and insufficiently prominent amendment that fails to undo the damage caused by the original presentation. The clarification states that the child “was also suffering” from these issues—wording that implies other causes for the child’s condition. The implication is that the child’s physical condition has somehow been affected by the war in Gaza, but no evidence is presented to explain why this is so in light of the revelation of his pre-existing condition.
We wanted to know on what basis The Express claims that the child was suffering from anything else and how the image supports the newspaper’s original contention.
Such misreporting on Israel has a severe impact on British Jews, 92% of whom believe that media bias against Israel fuels persecution of Jews in Britain, according to our representative polling.
Instead of taking accountability and issuing a proper apology, The Express came back to us with the following: “The attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7 were unequivocally condemned and we fully acknowledge the anguish felt in Israel in their aftermath. Equally, we have a journalistic duty to report the reality in Gaza, where independent coverage is scarce and civilian suffering is widespread. It was with this in mind that we chose to publish images of Muhammad, a young boy, and his mother. Their story was intended to highlight the human cost of the conflict and to serve as a reminder that the suffering must end on both sides. The decision was not political but humanitarian – a call to recognise the devastating toll of war, particularly on children. Too many have died; too many continue to suffer.
“Subsequent to publication, we were informed that Muhammad had pre-existing neurological and muscular conditions. While this adds context, it does not lessen the tragedy of his situation. We remain committed to covering attacks on Israeli citizens with the same seriousness and visibility as events in Gaza. Our role is to provide accurate, compassionate reporting wherever lives are affected. At its core, our message is simple: The lives of innocent Israeli and Palestinian citizens must be spared.”
This misreporting on Israel has a severe impact on British Jews. That does not mean that Israel should not be covered in the news; it simply means that it should be covered accurately. After over a year and a half of this war, we have yet to see that happen.
In the meantime, the Jewish community is suffering the worst levels of antisemitism in living memory – enabled, it has to be said, by the press.
A tale of two New York newspapers
The image of the child went around the world, including landing on the front page of The New York Times, which subsequently issued a correction for the use of the photo.
It is notable how, barely a week apart, one major New York newspaper essentially ran a fake photo on its front page while its tabloid rival, the New York Post, ran a real one.
Is the media spreading antisemitism?
According to 92% of British Jews, media bias against Israel fuels persecution of Jews in Britain.
How widely is that view shared?
Elie hit the streets to find out more. Watch here to hear more.
Is the International Definition of Antisemitism under threat at Edinburgh University?
Academics at the University of Edinburgh have attacked the International Definition of Antisemitism in a recently published review.
The report, titled ‘Confronting the University of Edinburgh’s History and Legacies of Enslavement and Colonialism’, reads: “The IHRA definition violates academic freedom and freedom of speech by framing any criticism of Israel’s policies of settler-colonial dispossession driven by state racism as a form of antisemitism.”
The International Definition of Antisemitism, which was adopted by the University in 2020, can be found in full at antisemitism.org/definition. There is nothing in the Definition that supports the contention of the academics’ claim.
How the Jews – who are most affected by definitions of antisemitism – managed to be shoehorned into such a report is itself indicative of the times.
We have previously published a note on the relationship between the Definition and Freedom of Expression under the law, which can be found at antisemitism.org/universities/#freedom-of-expression.
Most brazenly, the authors of the report recommend that the University drops its adoption of the Definition, and, sickeningly, they view this step as part of a “commitment to equality, diversity and anti-racism”. That is about as clear an indication as one can find that some people simply do not seem to believe that Jews merit equality or inclusion and do not need to benefit from anti-racism initiatives.
A student at the University told us: “I am deeply upset and worried by the Review’s suggestion to un-adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. Since 7th October, Jewish students on campuses across the UK have faced unprecedented levels of antisemitism, and many university campuses already feel unwelcoming and unsafe for Jewish students to freely express their identity. Un-adopting IHRA would stop Jewish students from calling out antisemitic behaviour. It would invalidate the real lived experiences of Jewish students, and deny us the right to be believed when we call something out as unacceptable. I am worried that un-adopting IHRA is a slippery slope where in the future, Jewish voices at the University of Edinburgh will be silenced in the name of freedom of speech.”
If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].
Get involved in the fight against campus antisemitism!
We have two incredible opportunities for students and recent graduates who want to join the fight against campus antisemitism.
The first is our paid School and Campus Educator, a position for up to eight months starting in September 2025.
For more information and to apply, please visit antisemitism.org/jobs.
The second opportunity is our Student Ambassador programme.
We are looking for superb Student Ambassadors for the coming academic year to help make a difference on campus life in the UK.
You can apply now at antisemitism.org/become-a-student-ambassador.
Places are limited and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so don’t wait to apply!
An audience member disrupted a recent Regina Spektor concert in Oregon by shouting “Free f***ing Palestine!” at the Jewish musician mid-performance.
The musician’s family fled antisemitism in the Soviet Union, one of countless Jewish families forced to uproot their lives to escape racist hatred.
She responded calmly and poignantly: “You’re just yelling at a Jew.”
Her response shines a light on the centrality in the ‘Free Palestine’ movement of simple, old-fashioned anti-Jewish harassment and hate. Yelling at Jews doesn’t change things in the Middle East, release hostages or bring peace any closer.
Let’s stop pretending that those who shout these slogans are peace activists. They are not.
All they’re doing, as Ms Spektor so succinctly put it, is “yelling at a Jew”.
If you are fed up of Jews being yelled at by self-described ‘peace activists’, make your voice heard: March with us on Sunday 7th September.
