Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu 'completely lost it' with angry response to Keir Starmer

A senior Labour MP has said the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu "completely lost it" overnight with his angry response to Keir Starmer.

Dame Emily Thornberry, the chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, welcomed the "major change in British foreign policy". It came as Mr Starmer last night piled the pressure on Israel to end the slaughter in Gaza by declaring Britain will recognise Palestine as a state if conditions are not met

The PM warned Benjamin Netanyahu that he will make the move in September unless the country agrees to certain terms, including a ceasefire in the Strip. But last night Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu hit back angrily at Mr Starmer's announcement. Posting on X, he said: "Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims. Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails."

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Dame Emily told the BBC on Wednesday that despite the majority of Israeli people wanting peace its right-wing government "just wants continual war".

Pressed on whether the UK was irrelevant in the conflict, she replied: "No, we're not irrelevant. If we're completely irrelevant, why has Netanyahu completely lost it overnight? It's not exactly a considered, careful, diplomatic statement, really. It's a furious statement."

Dame Emily also praised the UK government's move - but other MPs urged ministers to go much further. Lib Dem leader Sir EdDavey said that Britain's actions must include "fully ceasing arms sales and implementing sanctions against the Israeli cabinet."

Others including the ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn criticised Mr Starmer for using Palestinian statehood as a "bargaining chip" with Israel. "It is not a threat. It is an inalienable right of the Palestinian people," he posted on X.

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On Tuesday evening the PM warned Mr Netanyahu that he will recognise the state of Palestine in September unless the country agrees to certain terms, including a ceasefire in the Strip.

Mr Starmer had summoned ministers back from Parliament's summer recess for an emergency Cabinet meeting on the situation.

He later told reporters a "catastrophic failure of aid" has meant Gazans are enduring terrible suffering and added: "We see starving babies, children too weak to stand, images that will stay with us for a lifetime. The suffering must end."

Donald Trump had appeared to give the UK government the green-light on the issue as he met with the PM at his Scottish golf course. He suggested he did not mind Mr Starmer "taking a position" on the issue.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander also denied on Wednesday the PM's announcement to recognise the state of Palestine was a "reward for Hamas". She told Times Radio: "Not at all. This isn't about Hamas.

"This is about the Palestinian people. It's been the longstanding position of my party and indeed this government when we came to power last year that we would recognise the state of Palestine at a point in time when it would have maximum impact."

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