Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, on Tuesday responded to the ultimatum issued to Israel by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, that Britain will recognize a Palestinian state by September if the situation in Gaza does not improve by then.
“Israel has already agreed many times to a ceasefire. No token recognition and no UN resolution will change the basic fact that there are those in the world who fight terrorists and extremist forces and then there are those who turn a blind eye to them or rest to appeasement,” said Danon.
“The State of Israel will not lower its waiver after Hamas atrocities of October 7th. We will do whatever is necessary to bring home the hostages and defeat Hamas,” he stressed.
Starmer stated earlier that the recognition of “Palestine” would take place at the UN General Assembly "unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a two-state solution."
Starmer's ultimatum to Israel follows a similar announcement from French President Emmanuel Macron last week.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted Starmer’s ultimatum, writing in an English-language post on his X account, “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims.”
“A jihadist state on Israel’s border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW. Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen," he added.