Britain rejected Israeli criticism on Wednesday that it was rewarding resistance group Hamas by setting out plans to recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel took steps to improve the situation in Gaza and bring about peace.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's ultimatum, setting a September deadline, prompted an immediate rebuke from Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, who said the decision rewards Hamas.
US President Donald Trump also said he did not think Hamas "should be rewarded" with recognition of Palestinian independence.
But British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander — designated by the government to respond to media questions on Wednesday — said: "This is not a reward for Hamas.
"Hamas is a vile terrorist organisation that has committed appalling atrocities. This is about the Palestinian people. It's about those children that we see in Gaza who are starving to death," Alexander said.
"We've got to ratchet up pressure on the Israeli government to lift the restrictions to get aid back into Gaza."
Starmer's decision follows that of French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced last week that Paris would recognise Palestinian statehood in September, becoming one of the first major Western powers to do so, because of the dire humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
Previously, Britain and France, like other Western powers, had been committed to Palestinian independence, but as a goal that would be achieved only at the conclusion of negotiations with Israel.
In a televised address on Tuesday, Starmer said it had become necessary to act because the prospect of such a two-state solution was now under threat.
Britain would make the move at the UN General Assembly in September unless Israel took substantive steps to allow more aid into Gaza, made clear it would not annex the occupied West Bank and committed itself to a long-term peace process that delivered a two-state solution, Starmer said.
The most immediate impact of Britain recognising a Palestinian state may be an upgrading of diplomatic relations, according to one British government official.
Britain now hosts a Palestinian mission in London, which could be upgraded to an embassy, and Britain could eventually open an embassy in the occupied West Bank, the official said.
The Muslim Council of Britain, the country's largest Muslim umbrella organisation, said that making recognition conditional contradicted the government's stated position that statehood was the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.
