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President Herzog meets UK Prime Minister Starmer

Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs

President Herzog: " The immediate and unconditional release of the hostages is both a humanitarian necessity and the only first step on the road to peace."

Type: Press Releases
Topic: Foreign Policy, Terrorism
Secondary topic: Swords of Iron
Publish Date: 10.09.2025

(Communicated by the President's Spokesperson)

President Isaac Herzog today (Wednesday, 10 September), met with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, at Number 10 Downing Street in London.

Prime Minister Starmer welcomed President Herzog in front of the historic building before the two leaders held a private meeting followed by a wider bilateral diplomatic discussion.

Speaking after the meeting, President Herzog said: "Britain and Israel are friends, but among friends there are sometimes disagreements. I made clear that the United Kingdom's stated intention to recognise a Palestinian state at this time would in no way help bring the hostages home, help the Palestinians, or help bring an end to the conflict. Instead it would embolden extremists across the Middle East and beyond. I voiced strong opposition to any notion of sanctions against the only democracy in the region, and I warned against the dangerous echoing of Hamas's propaganda campaign of starvation in Gaza, even while 48 hostages remain in brutal captivity. I stressed, too, that Israel's struggle against the Iranian empire of evil and its terror proxies is the shared struggle of the free world, including Great Britain. Above all, I underlined that the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages is both a humanitarian necessity and the only first step on the road to peace."

The President thanked the Prime Minister for his Government's decision to activate the 'Snapback Mechanism' on Iran's nuclear program and emphasized the importance of preventing the Iranian regime from rebuilding its nuclear capability. He noted that Iran posed a threat not just to Israel but to the entire free world, including through its terror proxies and networks across the Middle East, Europe, and beyond.

At the heart of the discussion was the urgent need to secure the release of the hostages held in Gaza, to end the conflict, and to lay the groundwork for the rebuilding of a Gaza free from Hamas.