Israel’s President to Visit London Amid UK’s Expected Recognition of Palestine
Israel’s president will travel to London next Thursday, shortly before the UK is anticipated to formally recognize the state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly, CuriosityNews has learned.
Two sources confirmed that Isaac Herzog is set to meet with UK government officials and prominent political figures—marking the first visit by a high-ranking Israeli leader since Foreign Secretary David Lammy held undisclosed talks with Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar earlier this year.
However, any potential meeting between Herzog and Prime Minister Keir Starmer could provoke significant backlash within the Labour Party, given the widespread devastation and humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s military operations in Gaza. No 10 has yet to confirm whether such a discussion will take place.
Previously, Downing Street suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could face arrest if he enters the UK, following an international arrest warrant issued over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Herzog, who belongs to a different political faction than Netanyahu and holds a largely ceremonial role, has previously disagreed with the prime minister over judicial reforms but has largely supported the military campaign in Gaza.
The Israeli president drew criticism for comments made in October 2023, in which he stated that all Palestinians in Gaza bore “unequivocal” responsibility for the Hamas-led attack on October 7. “The entire [Palestinian] nation is responsible. It is untrue to say civilians were unaware or uninvolved,” Herzog said at the time.
That remark gained further attention when the International Court of Justice referenced it in a January 2024 ruling, stating there was “plausible” evidence that Israel had violated the Genocide Convention. The court ordered Israel to take immediate steps to prevent further acts prohibited under the convention and to protect civilians in Gaza.
Herzog later argued that his statement had been taken out of context by the ICJ.
Starmer last met Herzog during his early days as prime minister in Paris over a year ago, where he spoke of the “historic friendship” between Israel and the UK and emphasized the need for hostages’ release and Israel’s “right to self-defense.”
Since then, Starmer and Lammy have grown increasingly critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza, where local health authorities report more than 65,000 fatalities.
The UK has sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers, and Starmer has signaled plans to recognize Palestinian statehood in September, alongside France.
Nonetheless, there remains frustration within Labour and beyond over the UK’s perceived lack of action to alleviate Palestinian suffering.
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