British Ambassador to Israel Simon Walters said Thursday that it “would be a huge mistake” for Israel to occupy all of Gaza, and pushed back on American and Israeli accusations that the planned UK recognition of Palestinian statehood would reward Hamas.
Hosting a briefing for Israeli reporters, Walters also condemned settler violence in the West Bank, “for which [Israel] seems to [impose] no consequences,” and highlighted Gaza’s “horrifying” humanitarian situation, calling on Israel to allow “full unrestricted access to aid.”
Walters’ comments came as Israel’s security cabinet was reportedly set to approve a plan to take over all of Gaza, despite skepticism in the military due to the risk that soldiers and hostages would be harmed in the process. Meanwhile, Israel has faced mounting international anger over the high death toll and hunger crisis in Gaza.
Responding to reports on the decision to conquer Gaza, Walters said, “That would be a huge mistake.”
“The IDF has done all that it can do in Gaza — it’s not going to achieve any more by fighting any longer,” said Walters. “Extending the war any further will simply lead to more deaths — deaths of soldiers, deaths of Palestinians, and, likely, deaths of hostages.”
He added that if Israel wants to defeat Hamas, “it can’t do that only militarily — it requires politics and diplomacy, and giving Gazans an alternative to Hamas” as Gaza’s post-war government.
Walters also defended the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement last month that it would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel ends the war in Gaza and commits to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
According to Walters, Starmer’s announcement was made necessary by the absence of a peace process.
“If there was a peace process, if the Palestinian Authority and Israeli government were in regular dialogue about a permanent settlement to the conflict, we would consider our timing… to be part of that process; but there isn’t a process and that’s the problem,” said Walters.
The UK was one of a slew of Western nations, including France, that indicated they would recognize Palestinian statehood in September. Israel and the United States have assailed recognition of Palestinian statehood as rewarding the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza.
Walters pushed back on the notion that Starmer’s announcement was a reward for Hamas: “It is absolutely, categorically not.”
“I recognize that for many Israelis, the idea of a Palestinian state is concerning, but the UK is deeply committed to Israeli security,” said Walters.
He also reiterated Starmer’s condemnation of Hamas, adding that the terror group does not align with the UK’s decision to recognize Palestinian statehood since “they want the destruction of Israel, not the two-state solution.”
Hamas statements that nonetheless welcomed Starmer’s announcement were “an attempt to claim some credit where they have achieved nothing,” said Walters.
The announcement “is part of a larger package which is intended to isolate Hamas and point the way for a vision for peace in the Middle East,” said Walters.
He pointed to a statement signed by the Arab League and other Muslim and Arab states last month condemning the Hamas onslaught and promoting a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The statement, Walters said, is “really strategically important” and that “hasn’t received enough attention.”