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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to criticize Western leaders for acknowledging an independent Palestinian state during his address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
On Sunday, September 21, Sir Keir Starmer joined Canada, Australia, and Portugal in this stance, sparking strong reactions from Israel, which claimed these nations are ‘rewarding’ Hamas terrorism.
Belgium and France expressed similar views the next day, with French President Emmanuel Macron declaring at the UN that ‘we must do everything possible to maintain the potential for a two-state solution.’
During his visit to the UK, U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned having ‘a disagreement with the prime minister’ regarding his acknowledgment of Palestine.
Despite this, the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s continued expansion in the West Bank have led a significant majority of UN member states—at least 151—to support recognizing an independent Palestinian state.
Netanyahu, while departing from Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday morning, emphatically stated, ‘At the UN General Assembly, I will reveal the truth about the citizens of Israel, our IDF soldiers, and our nation.’
His meetings with other leaders at the assembly are expected to be dominated by the recent wave of Western countries backing Palestinians’ aspiration to forge a sovereign homeland.
‘I will denounce those leaders who, instead of denouncing the murderers, rapists and child burners, want to give them a state in the heart of the Land of Israel. This will not happen,’ the leader added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to denounce the leaders of Western countries for their recognition of an independent Palestinian state in his upcoming speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City
Sir Keir Starmer made the move on Sunday 21 on the same day as Canada, Australia and Portugal, prompting a furious response from Israel which accused the countries of ‘rewarding’ Hamas terror
Amid the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel pushing ahead with settlements in the West Bank, a majority of UN member states – at least 151 – are united in their recognition of an independent state
Announcing his commitment to recognise Palestinian statehood in a video on social media, Sir Keir said: ‘Today, to revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, I state clear as Prime Minister of this great country that the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine.
‘We recognised the State of Israel more than 75 years ago as a homeland for the Jewish people.
‘Today we join over 150 countries who recognise a Palestinian state also. A pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people that there can be a better future.’
The move unleashed a furious response from Netanyahu, who said the UK was handing Hamas ‘an absurd prize for terrorism’.
‘I have a clear message to leaders who are recognising a Palestinian state after the horrendous October 7 massacre – you are rewarding terror with an enormous prize,’ he said.
‘And I have another message for you – it’s not going to happen. There will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan river.’
Addressing reporters before he boarded the plane to the U.S., the Israeli prime minister said he was looking forward to talks with Trump, in which the leaders would discuss the opportunities that their ‘victories’ have brought, as well as ‘our need to complete the goals of the war – returning all of our hostages [and] defeating Hamas’.
By ‘victories’, Netanyahu seemed to be alluding to the 12-day war with Iran in June nicknamed Operation Rising Lion, during which Israel targetted sites linked to Iran’s nuclear programme, its air defences and ballistic missile bases.
Palestinians, displaced by the Israeli military offensive, take shelter in a tent camp, in Zawaida in the central Gaza Strip, September 25, 2025
In a 48-hour period between 19 and 20 September in Gaza City, at least 51 Palestinians were killed in 18 recorded attacks on residential buildings, according to the UN human rights office
On Wednesday, the Israeli leader said the wave of announcements recognising Palestinian statehood would not be binding on Israel.
‘The shameful capitulation of some leaders to Palestinian terror does not obligate Israel in any way,’ his office said.
While certain members of Netanyahu’s coalition are pushing for Israel to annex parts of the West Bank in response, Trump promised Arab and Muslim leaders this week at the UN that he wouldn’t permit such developments, according to Politico sources.
Two Gaza City hospitals have been taken out of service due to the escalation of Israel’s ground offensive and damage caused by continued Israeli bombing, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said on Monday.
The ministry said in a statement that Al-Rantissi Children’s Hospital had been badly damaged in an Israeli bombardment a few days prior. At the same time, it reported Israeli attacks in the vicinity of the nearby Eye Hospital, which forced the suspension of services there, too.
In a 48-hour period between 19 and 20 September in Gaza City, at least 51 Palestinians were killed in 18 recorded attacks on residential buildings, according to the UN human rights office.
Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel killed 1,200 people, and 251 others were taken hostage.
Israel’s two-year-long campaign has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health authorities.
