Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has come under renewed fire from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch after his recent condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Mrs Badenoch accused the Prime Minister of emboldening terrorists with his remarks, claiming they were met with “cheers” from Hamas.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Mrs Badenoch said Sir Keir’s public criticism of Israel “does not send the right message” and risked encouraging extremists. “You should do it in a way that does not have Hamas cheering – Hamas praised that statement,” she said. “Sending a signal to Hamas like that does not send the right message. You should not have terrorist cheers.”
The comments refer to a joint statement earlier this week by Sir Keir, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The three leaders denounced what they described as Israel’s “egregious” military actions in Gaza and warned that unless Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu altered course, “concrete actions” would follow from the UK and its allies.
Mr Netanyahu swiftly condemned the statement, accusing the leaders of emboldening Hamas by criticising Israel while hostilities are ongoing. He has insisted that the military campaign is vital for Israeli security and that operations are being conducted with care to avoid unnecessary civilian casualties — a claim disputed by aid agencies on the ground.
Mrs Badenoch, while stating her continued support for a two-state solution, warned against portraying Israel as a pariah in its fight against terrorism. “There are still 58 hostages not returned to Israel,” she said. “We want a two-state solution, but we cannot have a terrorist state running one of those. Israel is still at war, and we need to make sure that the war they are having – a proxy war with Iran – is not one that damages our national interest. Iran is not our ally.”
When pressed on whether there was anything Israel could do that she would criticise, the Conservative leader insisted she had raised humanitarian concerns previously. “I have criticised – we’ve talked about when people need aid, get it – they responded to that,” she said. “Let’s not forget, two years ago hundreds of people at a music festival were butchered, massacred – we’re still waiting for 58 hostages. What we need to do is get a ceasefire.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner defended Sir Keir’s stance and dismissed the backlash from Mr Netanyahu and other critics. Speaking earlier in the programme, she reiterated the Government’s position that the UK remains a firm ally of Israel, but stressed the importance of humanitarian obligations.
Asked whether the Israeli Prime Minister’s remarks should cast doubt on the alliance, Ms Rayner said: “No, they shouldn’t. But we should always look at what’s happening and be objective, and sometimes you have to call out when things are wrong.”
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She continued: “Keir Starmer has been very clear right from the start. October 7 was a massacre for Israel and for Jewish people there, and it was absolutely abhorrent. Hamas has no place in a functioning government, and we’re very clear on that.
“But you cannot block aid where we have a humanitarian catastrophe happening in Palestine. That’s what Keir Starmer set out – that aid has to get into Gaza now and that Israel has to ensure that that happens.”
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has ignited intense political debate in Westminster, with opposition and government figures struggling to balance support for Israel’s right to self-defence with calls for restraint and the protection of civilian lives. As tensions mount across the Middle East, the UK’s stance on the conflict is increasingly under scrutiny — both at home and on the world stage.
