Trump: UK move on Palestine rewards Hamas
Shafaq News – Washington
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump rejected the United Kingdom’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state, warning that such a move would reward Hamas.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland, Trump noted that the issue had not come up during their talks.
He added that the United States had sent funding to support food aid in Gaza but stressed the need for proper oversight. “I want to make sure the money is spent wisely and is spent judiciously, and that food is distributed in a proper manner.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticized the UK’s position, accusing Starmer of “rewarding Hamas terrorism and punishing its victims,” adding, “Establishing a jihadist state on Israel’s borders today will threaten Britain tomorrow.”
Moreover, Israel’s Foreign Ministry noted that the shift—following France’s lead and amid domestic political pressures—amounts to a reward for Hamas. “The British statements harm efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement and recover the hostages,” the ministry affirmed.
