6 days ago
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Donald Trump has removed a key obstacle for Keir Starmer to officially recognise a Palestinian state paving the way for a crucial cabinet meeting this week.
The US President, seen as one of Israel’s strongest supporters, signalled the US would not object to such a move effectively greenlighting Sir Keir to go ahead with pressure mounting on the issue domestically for the prime minister.
In what seemed like a significant change in his previous hard line support for Israel, the US President also expressed his concern at TV film of starving children in Gaza.
And he joined calls for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to soften his approach on Gaza, suggesting he “may have to do it a different way.”
President Trump’s comments came as he met Sir Keir at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, with Gaza at the top of the agenda for the prime minister who is also putting the UK in the lead internationally on implementing a peace plan for the conflict.
Starmer is already committed to recognising a state of Palestine which he has described as “an inalienable right”, but, unlike French President Emmanuel Macron, he has resisted doing it immediately.
Asked if Starmer, under heavy pressure from Labour MPs to follow France’s lead in recognising a Palestinian state, should do so, Trump replied: “I’m not going to take a position, I don’t mind him (Starmer) taking a position. I’m looking for getting people fed right now.”
In theory Starmer does not need US approval to recognise a Palestinian state, but coordinating policy with the US has been a key part of his strategy.
The US president took a very different tone to his secretary of state Marco Rubio who last Friday condemned Macron for going ahead in recognising Palestine.
But President Trump and Sir Keir appeared to be on the same page in wanting to end the hunger in the besieged territory, with the UK set to lead a new peace process with American support.
Asked about Netanyahu’s claim that nobody is starving in Gaza, Trump said: “Based on television I would say [on agreeing with Netanyahu] ‘not particularly’, because those children look pretty hungry to me.”
He also was not enthused about Israel’s tactics saying that nobody was coming out of the crisis well.
“It’s a real mess,” he added.
But the US president warned that Hamas will not release its final 20 hostages and that was now the sticking point.
The issue of recognising Palestine has moved up Sir Keir’s agenda in the last week with the issue set to dominate a cabinet meeting this week with ministers deeply divided over what to do.
While some - including the influential Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) - have questioned whether recognition of a Palestinian state would be premature and lose its impact, the remarks by Trump appear to have opened the door for an historic announcement this week.
Symbolically, the UK’s role in creating the modern state of Israel through the Balfour Declaration in 1926 adds weight to British recognition of a Palestinian state as well.
And politically with a threat on his left flank from Jeremy Corbyn’s new party and its support from so-called “Gaza independents” and more than 250 MPs from nine political parties signing a letter calling for recognition, the prime minister is under pressure to act.
Sir Keir made a point of thanking President Trump over his efforts in the Middle East.
The prime minister appears to be putting together a plan for peace there following his talks over the weekend with Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz in the E3 group of leaders.
The prime minister told journalists: “It's an absolute catastrophe [in Gaza]. Nobody wants to see that. And I think people in Britain are revolted at seeing what they're seeing on their screen. So we've got to get to that ceasefire.
Turning to Mr Trump, he added: “Thank you, Mr President, for leading on that, and also to just get more and more aid in. And again, America has done a lot on this.”
The summit also saw the two leaders discuss continuing trade issues from US tariffs including steel and Scotch whisky.
The two were also set to discuss the war in Ukraine, with President Trump again emphasising that he is losing patience with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
He said: “We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kiev and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever, you have bodies lying all over the street. And I say that's not the way to do it. So we'll see what happens with that. I'm very disappointed.”
In a subsequent press conference, the prime minister sat for an hour and 12 minutes listening to the US president goad him describing London Mayor Sadiq Khan as “a nasty man” and giving him advice on tax cuts and energy policy to beat Nigel Farage.
Starmer politely hit back on claims that the UK is restricting free speech while he told Trump that Sir Sadiq is his friend.
The US president was also clearly touched that Sir Keir’s wife Lady Victoria had made a rare diplomatic visit to Turnberry with her husband. He described her as “the perfect wife” and she was to join them on a flight to Aberdeen and dinner at the US president’s golf course there.
