Israel threatens Keir Starmer with huge blow if he presses ahead with Palestine plan

Israel has warned that it may cut security ties with the United Kingdom if Sir Keir Starmer presses ahead with his highly divisive plan to recognise the state of Palestine later this year. The Middle Eastern country has been a close ally of Britain on defence and security grounds for decades, providing the UK's spy agencies with crucial intelligence on potential terrorist attacks and saving countless lives.

However diplomatic sources have revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering withdrawing that critical help in response to Sir Keir's recent Palestine announcement. An official warned that Britain and other countries that have recently announced intentions to recognise Palestine, including France and Canada, should "carefully consider" the consequences. Another diplomat added: "London needs to be careful because Bibi [Netanyahu] and his ministers have cards they could play too.

"Israel values its partnership with the UK but recent decisions mean it is coming under pressure and the UK has a lot to lose if Israel's government decides to take steps in response."

Israel's Mossad spy agency, its equivalent of MI6, has passed crucial information to Britain, which have thwarted a number of potential terrorist incidents.

These included helping to thwart an alleged Iranian-link terror plot on the country's London embassy, leading to the largest counterterrorism raids in the UK in recent years.

Mr Netanyahu previously publicly condemned Sir Keir following his announcement, which many said he had been forced into making by his hard-left backbenchers.

The Israeli premier said Sir Keir's proposal "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."

Sir Keir insisted that the situation in Gaza had become "intolerable", as he urged Israel to "take immediate action to lift all restrictions on aid access and get those suffering in Gaza the food they need".

By contrast his announcement was welcomed by the terrorist group Hamas, which is still refusing to hand over all its Israeli hostages stolen during the October 2023 pogrom.

A senior official from the group welcomed Sir Keir's promise, saying it meant that "victory and liberation are closer than we expected".

A former minister in the Hamas government added: "International support for Palestinian self-determination shows we are moving in the right direction."

This morning Sir Keir Starmer condemned news out of Israel that the government wants to take control of Gaza.

A war cabinet approved plans to occupy Gaza City, including preparations to "ensure the provision of humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones."

Mr Netanyahu insisted he doesn't "want to keep" Gaza City, but instead have a "security perimeter".

This morning Sir Keir Starmer branded the news "wrong" and urged Israel to "reconsider immediately".

"This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages," he said. "It will only bring more bloodshed.

"Every day the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions. What we need is a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated solution. Hamas can play no part in the future of Gaza and must leave as well as disarm."