A British-Israeli woman who endured over 15 months in Hamas captivity has publicly criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of a “moral failure” following the UK government’s announcement of its intention to recognise a Palestinian state.
Emily Damari, 29, who was freed in January after 471 harrowing days as a hostage, warned that the decision undermines peace efforts and risks rewarding terrorism.
Speaking out via Instagram, Damari said Starmer was “not standing on the right side of history” and questioned whether he would have recognised Nazi-occupied regimes during the Second World War.
“This is not diplomacy – it is a moral failure. Shame on you, Prime Minister,” she stated.
The backlash comes after Sir Keir Starmer confirmed this week that the UK will formally recognise a Palestinian state in September, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire and demonstrates a clear commitment to a two-state solution.
The government also reiterated that Hamas must release all hostages, disarm, and accept exclusion from governing Gaza.
Damari, who was shot during the 7 October 2023 Hamas assault on Kfar Aza kibbutz, was abducted alongside friends Ziv and Gali Berman – twin brothers who are still believed to be held in Gaza.
Since her release under a temporary ceasefire, she has become an outspoken advocate for the release of approximately 20 surviving hostages and the repatriation of the remains of around 30 others.
In a joint statement, human rights lawyers Adam Rose and Adam Wagner, representing British families of hostages held by Hamas, accused the government of using captives as a “bargaining chip”.
They argued that the UK’s plan to recognise a Palestinian state could undermine negotiations and reduce Hamas’s incentive to agree to a ceasefire.
“The risk is that Hamas will continue to reject a ceasefire deal to avoid making UK recognition more likely,” they warned.
The families, who have met with successive UK prime ministers and foreign secretaries since October 2023, urged Starmer to offer a firm assurance that the UK will not reward Hamas and will withhold formal recognition until all hostages are safely released.
“This approach risks doing exactly what the Prime Minister says the UK will not do: legitimise Hamas’s heinous and illegal acts,” the statement concluded.
The controversy places increasing pressure on Starmer’s government as it attempts to balance international diplomacy with domestic and humanitarian concerns.
With tensions still high in the Middle East, many fear that premature recognition of Palestinian statehood could complicate efforts to resolve the hostage crisis and derail prospects for lasting peace.
