Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday, President Donald Trump, in his inimitable style, forcefully dismissed the idea of recognizing a Palestinian state, declaring that it would be rewarding the terrorist group Hamas if such a thing eventuated.

“Is there any use at all in pressuring Israel now to come to some sort of longer-term solution?” a reporter asked.

“Well, you could make the case that you’re rewarding people, that you’re rewarding Hamas if you do that,” Trump replied. “And I don’t think they should be rewarded. So I’m not in that camp, to be honest. We’ll let you know where we are, but I am not in that camp, because if you do that, you really are rewarding Hamas, and I’m not about to do that.”

Trump on creating a Palestinian state:

“If you do that, you really are rewarding Hamxs, and I’m not about to do that.” pic.twitter.com/knZpcgG1E4

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 30, 2025

A conference has been held this week by the United Nations, sponsored by Saudi Arabia and France, to discuss the eventual declaration of a Palestinian state, which French President Emanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer support.

Author David Harris pointed out, “In 1938, 2 countries tried to appease genocidal Nazi Germany by sacrificing Czechoslovakia. Britain & France.  In 2025, 2 countries try to appease genocidal #Hamas by sacrificing #Israel. Britain & France.”

In 1938, 2 countries tried to appease genocidal Nazi Germany by sacrificing Czechoslovakia.

Britain & France.

In 2025, 2 countries try to appease genocidal #Hamas by sacrificing #Israel.

Britain & France.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same." pic.twitter.com/81OOS7pyqj

— David Harris (@DavidHarrisNY) July 30, 2025

Famed Israeli hostage Emily Damari, a dual British-Israeli citizen who was held by Hamas for 471 days and lost two fingers after she was seized in the October 7, 2023, massacre Hamas and Gazan citizens perpetrated, in which they killed more than 1200 Israelis, fired back at Starmer:

As a Dual British-Israeli citizen who survived 471 days in Hamas captivity, I am deeply saddened by your decision @Keir_Starmer to recognise Palestinian statehood. This move does not advance peace — it risks rewarding terror. It sends a dangerous message: that violence earns legitimacy. By legitimising a state entity while Hamas still controls Gaza and continues its campaign of terror, you are not promoting a solution; you are prolonging the conflict. Recognition under these conditions emboldens extremists and undermines any hope for genuine peace. Shame on you.

As a Dual British-Israeli citizen who survived 471 days in Hamas captivity, I am deeply saddened by your decision @Keir_Starmer to recognise Palestinian statehood. This move does not advance peace—it risks rewarding terror. It sends a dangerous message: that violence earns… https://t.co/G4DF5AWgjT

— Emily Damari (@EmilyDamari1) July 30, 2025

After Macron declared he would recognize a Palestinian state, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Christian broadcaster Tony Perkins:

If Macron wants to have a secondary motion here for a state for “Palestine,” I suggested that what he should do is just give a part of the French Riviera, because he never said where this nation needs to be, this Palestinian state, or when it should be. So I suggest let’s make it French Riviera, and we can call it “Franc-en-stine.” That way everybody’s happy and Macron gets what he wants.  

And also, when one nation can just declare another place on the earth to be a state, then I think it would be fitting if the U.K. would declare France to be  British colony. Why not? This was outrageous for Macron to do this, and it came at a horrible time. It basically is a reward to Hamas and that’s one of the reasons they became unreasonable in talks to end the war in Gaza.

Asked about a non-binding resolution, the Israeli Knesset discussed declaring sovereignty over the Biblical areas of Judea and Samaria as the U.N. discussed declaring a Palestinian state, Huckabee replied:

When Europe and other areas of the world decide they’re going to start telling Israel that it’s got to let Hamas stay in Gaza, or that it’s going to declare unilaterally a Palestinian state, the reaction in Israel is not to surrender. The reaction in Israel is to say, “Okay, you want to do that? Then here’s what we’re gonna do. And what happened in the Knesset this week was a message that should be understood not only in the Palestinian Authority — who were pushing some of these European nations to take this position — but it ought to be a message to the Europeans that when you go out there and you start pushing Israel to surrender, their response is going to be the same any decent country would be: It’s to bow up and say, “Oh, no, we’re not. We’ll just get stronger, tougher, and we’ll dig in.”