Keir Starmer criticized Israel’s airstrikes on Hamas leaders in Qatar as “entirely unacceptable” during a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Following the discussions, a Downing Street spokesperson labeled the bombings as a “blatant breach” and highlighted the dire conditions in Gaza. The meeting had sparked controversy prior to the Israeli military targeting top Hamas officials in Doha while discussing a US ceasefire proposal for Gaza.
Afterwards, a Downing Street representative stated, “He denounced Israel’s actions in Doha as completely unacceptable. The strikes were seen as a clear violation of a crucial ally’s sovereignty and are not conducive to achieving the peace we all desire.”
Regarding Gaza, Starmer expressed deep concern and urged Israel to change course by allowing aid in and ceasing offensive operations to prevent the worsening of a manmade famine. Both leaders agreed on the release of hostages taken by Hamas almost two years ago.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, the PM criticized the strikes as infringing on Qatar’s sovereignty and hindering peace efforts. He emphasized support for a diplomatic solution to secure a ceasefire and a two-state resolution, following a conversation with the Emir of Qatar.
In response to criticisms, Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer downplayed the notion that the Israeli president’s visit was given special treatment by the UK government. He clarified that President Herzog was on a private visit to the UK.
Overall, the meeting between Starmer and Herzog was described as a challenging yet necessary discussion between democratic allies addressing shared concerns about jihadist threats.