Sir Keir Starmer was deemed a ‘hypocrite’ for wishing the Jewish community ‘peace, health and sweetness’ in the New Year, just 24 hours after recognising a Palestinian state.
The Prime Minister was eviscerated for the ‘tone deaf’ social media post to mark Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, while Hamas celebrated following his announcement on Sunday.
Outraged Israelis and Britons slammed him for ‘hypocrisy’ after ‘rewarding the terrorists’, with one woman writing: ‘It would have been kinder to say nothing.’
Another, Heidi Bachram, whose husband’s relatives were killed by Hamas on October 7, shared an image of emaciated hostage Evyatar David, who is one of 48 still held in Gaza.
She wrote: ‘This New Year will not be sweet while hostages languish in Hamas tunnels. The British Government just rewarded their captors and made this holiday bitter indeed.’
It came as Sir Keir was ridiculed for penning a sanctimonious op-ed in an Israeli newspaper on the first day of the holy festival, titled ‘Why I recognised a Palestinian state’.
In it he lectured families in the Jewish state on how ‘this is a moment to change direction back towards peace’, and promised those coming under near daily rocket attacks from Iranian proxies that the UK ‘and partners’ would ‘ensure’ the Palestinian state would be no threat.
Former Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz said Sir Keir had a ‘detachment from reality’.
Sir Keir Starmer was deemed a ‘hypocrite’ for wishing the Jewish community ‘peace, health and sweetness’ in the New Year
Benny Gantz (pictured) said Sir Keir had a ‘detachment from reality’
He asked: ‘Will Britain send “boots on the ground” to fight the terror emboldened by your statements?’ Meanwhile, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the recognition and vowed to respond after returning from the UN this week.
Sir Keir had said the move would ‘revive the hope of peace’ in the Middle East and insisted Hamas would play ‘no role’ in any Palestinian government.
But his diplomacy was unravelling on Monday as Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper pleaded with Israel not to respond by expanding settlements in the West Bank.
It came as France last night followed the UK, Canada and Australia in recognising a Palestinian state.
French president Emmanuel Macron addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying: ‘We are convinced this is the only way for Israel to achieve peace.
‘This recognition is a defeat for Hamas, just like for all those who want the destruction of the State of Israel.’
