British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to announce that the UK will sanction Hamas while simultaneously recognizing a Palestinian state, a move he claims will strike a more “even-handed” tone in the Middle East. Supporters argue the Palestinian Authority is a reformed, moderate alternative to Hamas and therefore a legitimate partner for peace.
The reality tells a different story. Despite repeated assurances, the Palestinian Authority has not ended its policy of rewarding violence. Terrorist salaries remain enshrined in PA law, and monitoring in September 2025 confirmed that payments to convicted terrorists and their families continue through PA post offices. The infamous “Pay-for-Slay” program was not abolished but merely rebranded. In February, PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas underscored the policy himself, declaring: “Even if we have only one penny left, it is for the prisoners and Martyrs.”
Critics warn that Starmer’s decision effectively legitimizes this system of incentivized terror. UK Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel condemned the move as dangerous appeasement, saying: “Peace in the Middle East will never be secured by rewarding terrorists.” Reform Party leader Nigel Farage likewise dismissed the recognition as a surrender to violence, insisting: “Hamas and a Palestinian state are inseparable.”
Israeli officials echoed these concerns. Minister Gidon Sa’ar noted that the PA has not dismantled its terror infrastructure and continues to fund militants, warning: “If Israel will not maintain security control over Judea and Samaria — the entire State of Israel will be in danger.”
The decision is also out of step with public opinion in Britain. A Telegraph poll released this weekend showed nearly nine in ten Britons oppose recognizing a Palestinian state unconditionally. Support is even weaker among Labour’s own voters, with only 11 percent backing the move.
By pressing ahead, Starmer is not advancing peace but rewarding terror. With Hamas still holding hostages in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority openly glorifying violence, Britain’s recognition sends the clearest possible message: terrorism is tolerated, and violence is rewarded.
