On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to host Israeli President Isaac Herzog at Downing Street for a meeting steeped in controversy, diplomatic tension, and urgent calls for action on the crisis in Gaza. The visit, coming on the heels of an Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Doha and growing international scrutiny, has ignited fierce debate within the UK and beyond about complicity, accountability, and the path forward for the Middle East.
According to BBC News, Sir Keir will use the talks to address what he has described as the “intolerable situation in Gaza” and to press President Herzog on the “action Israel must take to end the horrific suffering we’re witnessing.” The timing could hardly be more fraught. Just days earlier, Israel carried out a targeted strike on senior Hamas figures in Qatar’s capital, Doha—an attack that not only killed several lower-level Hamas members, according to Hamas, but also resulted in the death of a Qatari security officer. The move has been widely condemned for violating Qatar’s sovereignty and threatening to derail ongoing efforts for a ceasefire.
Starmer himself did not mince words. In a statement following the strike, he said the action “represents a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and risks fuelling further escalation when the focus should be ending the devastating cycle of violence in the region.” A Downing Street spokesperson added that Starmer had spoken with the Emir of Qatar, reiterating his condemnation and expressing condolences for the Qatari officer’s death. The Prime Minister also underscored his gratitude for Qatar’s “indispensable role” in mediating between Israel and Hamas, emphasizing the need to keep diplomatic channels open despite rising tensions.
The Israeli military’s campaign in Gaza began in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left about 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage. Since then, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, at least 64,605 people have been killed in Israeli attacks—a toll that has only deepened international concern about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the enclave.
Against this bloody backdrop, the UK government finds itself under mounting pressure from multiple directions. Sixty Members of Parliament and peers—including figures from Labour, the Greens, and the SNP—have called on the government to bar Herzog from entering the UK. Their argument? Allowing the visit risks making Britain complicit in what they allege is genocide in Gaza, a claim currently being examined by the International Court of Justice. Israel has repeatedly and strongly denied any allegations of genocide, insisting its operations target Hamas and aim to secure the release of hostages.
President Herzog’s office has emphasized that his visit is not about military strategy or executive decisions—his role, after all, is largely ceremonial and separate from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Instead, Herzog’s stated purpose is “to show solidarity with the Jewish community, which is under severe attack and facing a wave of antisemitism.” But many in the UK remain unconvinced. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, speaking to Times Radio, argued that Herzog “needs to answer the allegations of war crimes, of ethnic cleansing and of genocide that are being levelled at the government of Israel.” Streeting went further, questioning how Israel can claim the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) is “the most moral army in the world” in light of the evidence of atrocities. “If it is not the intent of the government of Israel to perpetrate genocide or ethnic cleansing, how on earth does he think his Israeli government is going to achieve its stated aim of clearing Palestinians out of Gaza without the war crimes, without ethnic cleansing, or even without genocide?” Streeting asked pointedly.
Downing Street, for its part, has stopped short of echoing these direct accusations. While underscoring Sir Keir’s “revulsion” at the suffering in Gaza, a spokesperson clarified that the Prime Minister intends to raise the humanitarian crisis and urge for immediate action, but did not repeat Streeting’s calls for Herzog to answer for alleged war crimes. The government’s official line remains that it is for international courts, not politicians, to determine whether Israel has committed genocide.
This position was reinforced in a recent letter from David Lammy, then foreign secretary and now justice secretary and deputy prime minister. Lammy wrote, “As per the Genocide Convention, the crime of genocide occurs only where there is specific ‘intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group’. The government has not concluded that Israel is acting with that intent.” The letter, sent in response to concerns raised by Labour MP Sarah Champion about the UK’s continued arms exports to Israel, emphasized that the government’s assessment—required under the Genocide Convention—found no conclusive evidence of genocidal intent at the time. Lammy’s letter, published last week, has been cited by Downing Street as reflective of the UK’s stance: “We’ve not come to any conclusion as to whether genocide has or has not been committed in Gaza.”
Still, critics argue that the UK is not doing enough to prevent further bloodshed or to hold Israel accountable. Amnesty International, for instance, released a statement urging Starmer “not [to] provide diplomatic cover for a state committing genocide” during his meeting with Herzog. “This visit is a test of leadership and principle: polite handshakes and warm words will demonstrate neither.” Green Party leader Zack Polanski went even further, calling for Herzog’s arrest during his UK stay and accusing him of being part of an “ongoing genocide.”
The debate isn’t confined to Parliament or activist circles. On Tuesday evening, hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside Downing Street, waving flags and chanting slogans like “Isaac Herzog genocide defender not welcome here!” and “Keir Starmer shame on you, David Lammy shame on you.” Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn weighed in as well, suggesting Herzog should be heading to The Hague, not London.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue on multiple fronts. On Monday night, Sir Keir hosted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at Downing Street. Abbas welcomed Starmer’s pledge to recognize a Palestinian state ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting in New York, should Israel fail to change course. Both leaders agreed that Hamas would have “absolutely no role” in any future Palestinian government. Their talks focused on the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and a major surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also met with Abbas, calling on the UK to pressure the US to reverse President Trump’s block on Palestinian visas ahead of the UN meeting, describing the move as “reckless and callous.”
As Herzog begins his three-day UK visit, the stakes could hardly be higher. The visit has become a flashpoint for Britain’s role in the conflict, the search for a just peace, and the challenge of balancing diplomatic ties with moral responsibility. For many, the outcome of these talks—and the UK’s next steps—will serve as a litmus test for its leadership on the world stage.
