On September 18, 2025, the stately grounds of Chequers in central England became the stage for a diplomatic moment that underscored the complexities of Middle East peace and the evolving relationship between two of the world’s most influential leaders. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stood side by side before a room of reporters, their camaraderie evident but their differences on full display when the topic of Palestinian statehood emerged.
As the world watched, Trump did not mince words. “I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score—one of our few disagreements, actually,” he said, referring to Starmer’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state. The president’s stance was clear: he opposed the UK’s impending decision, a position he’s made no secret of in recent months. Yet, he stopped short of directly urging Starmer to reverse course, choosing instead to focus on the immediate crisis. “We want it to end. We have to have the hostages back immediately. That’s what the people of Israel want,” Trump emphasized, according to Nexstar Media Inc. “They want them back. And we want the fighting to stop.”
Starmer, for his part, held firm. He insisted the timing of the UK’s recognition had “nothing to do with this state visit,” a point he repeated throughout the press conference. “I’ve discussed it with the president, as you would expect, amongst two leaders who respect each other and like each other and want to bring about a better solution in the best way that we can,” Starmer remarked, as reported by The Times of Israel. The prime minister explained that recognition was “part of that overall package which hopefully takes us from the appalling situation we’re in now to the outcome of a safe and secure Israel, which we do not have, and a viable Palestinian state.”
The British government’s move is set to unfold rapidly. According to sources briefed on the plans, the UK will press ahead with recognition of a Palestinian state on Sunday, September 21, 2025, before making a formal declaration at the United Nations the following day. Starmer’s decision comes after Israel failed to meet several conditions set by the UK, including a ceasefire in Gaza, the resumption of humanitarian aid, engagement in sustained peace talks, and a halt to further annexations in the West Bank. Despite intense consultations with French diplomats and a delay to allow for private talks with Trump, Israel’s failure to meet these preconditions made recognition largely a matter of timing rather than substance, as described by The Guardian.
The backdrop to this decision is the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which began with the October 7, 2023, attack that killed more than 1,200 Israelis. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and a humanitarian crisis that has drawn global condemnation and divided international opinion. Starmer, acutely aware of the pressures within his own Labour Party—where calls for stronger support for Palestinians and accusations of Israeli genocide have intensified—has sought to chart a middle path. He has made it clear that any recognized Palestinian state would exclude Hamas from governance, labeling the group as terrorists and insisting that elections for the Palestinian Authority’s leadership would be held within a year.
Critics, including some in the UK, argue that the recognition move breaches the Montevideo criteria for statehood, which require defined borders, a stable population, and a single functioning government. Yet, for many in Starmer’s party, the urgency is driven by anger at Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and a fear that further delays will allow Israel to annex more territory, extinguishing the last hopes for Palestinian self-determination. The head of the Palestinian mission in the UK, Husam Zomlot, is expected to unveil the Palestinian flag on Monday at what will become the Palestinian embassy, marking a symbolic shift in UK-Palestine relations.
For Trump, the UK’s recognition of Palestine is not just a diplomatic disagreement; it’s a potential flashpoint in broader US foreign policy. He has previously warned that such moves by allies could jeopardize trade talks, as he suggested when Canada considered recognition. Nonetheless, according to The Guardian, the US now views a two-state solution as both unobtainable and undesirable, and Trump’s administration has dismissed the UK’s action as largely symbolic, unlikely to weaken Israel. Still, Trump’s own frustrations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have surfaced privately, particularly over Netanyahu’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire and his hardline tactics.
While the press conference was dominated by the Israel-Palestine issue, the two leaders also addressed other pressing global concerns. Starmer, who has positioned himself as a key European voice supporting Ukraine, spoke passionately about the need to increase pressure on Russia to end its war. “In recent days, Putin has shown his true face mounting the biggest attack since the invasion began, with yet more bloodshed, yet more innocents killed, and unprecedented violations of NATO airspace,” he said, highlighting the urgency of coordinated Western action. Trump, for his part, expressed disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin, lamenting the lack of progress since their recent talks in Alaska. “He’s let me down. He’s really let me down,” Trump admitted, calling the ongoing conflict his “biggest disappointment.”
The state visit wasn’t all high-stakes diplomacy and sharp disagreements. Trump and Starmer signed an agreement at Chequers to expand cooperation on technology and nuclear energy—a move Trump said would support the growth of artificial intelligence, given its immense demand for electricity. The two leaders also mingled with top business figures and attended a lavish banquet at Windsor Castle, where the pageantry of the British monarchy was on full display.
Yet, as the visit drew to a close, it was the question of Palestinian recognition that loomed largest. The move is expected to provoke a wave of criticism from Israel, which argues it rewards Hamas and terrorism—a claim the UK rejects by insisting on Hamas’s disarmament and exclusion from future governance. Italy, meanwhile, has signaled openness to European Union trade sanctions against Israel over the Gaza war, provided they do not harm Israel’s civilian population, according to statements by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. The European Commission is also considering sanctions on Israeli ministers and violent West Bank settlers, though such measures will require broad support within the EU.
Not everyone in the international community shares Europe’s approach. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee voiced strong opposition to what he called “outrage” at Israel, dismissing the idea that diplomacy could work with Hamas. “This kind of savagery can’t be dealt with by diplomacy and talking,” Huckabee declared, as reported by The Times of Israel. “We have to understand that is a difference between the forces of heaven and the forces of hell. If we don’t understand that, we’re only going to see more terrorism that will kill more innocent people across this planet.”
As the dust settles on Trump’s visit and the UK moves forward with its historic recognition, the world is left to ponder whether this diplomatic gamble will bring the region closer to peace or simply add another layer to its tangled history. For now, the only certainty is that the debate over Palestinian statehood—and the search for a lasting solution—remains as fierce and unresolved as ever.
