Trump administration scolds allies over Palestinian statehood

The Trump administration is chastising Western allies who are preparing to recognize Palestinian statehood in response to the heightening humanitarian crisis in the region, cranking up criticism after President Donald Trump initially brushed off the push.

Trump administration officials argued on Thursday that plans from Canada, the United Kingdom and France to recognize Palestine as a state at the U.N. General Assembly next month incentivize Hamas to prolong its war with Israel.

The leaders of each country have cited the starvation and deteriorating conditions in Gaza, exacerbated by Israel’s military campaign and the restrictions Israel has placed on aid into the region.

Yet the Trump administration isn’t wavering in its support for Israel.

“The president expressed his displeasure and his disagreement with the leaders of France, the United Kingdom and Canada,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday. “He feels as though that’s rewarding Hamas at a time where Hamas is the true impediment to a ceasefire and to the release of all of the hostages.”

After Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday he intends to recognize Palestine as a state, Trump suggested on Thursday the move will complicate future trade negotiations between the neighboring countries.

The three U.S. allies would join 147 other U.N. member nations in recognizing Palestinian statehood. The U.K. said its recognition of a Palestinian state was contingent on Israel not improving conditions in the war-torn strip.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed recognition of Palestinian statehood as “irrelevant” while calling the leaders of Canada, France and the U.K. “clumsy” for offering a concession to Palestinian leaders before Hamas has released all the hostages it took in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

“The U.K. is like, well, ‘if Israel doesn’t agree to a ceasefire by September, we’re going to recognize a Palestinian state,’” Rubio said in a Fox News Radio interview on Thursday. “So if I’m Hamas, I say, ‘you know what, let’s not allow there to be a ceasefire.’ If Hamas refuses to agree to a ceasefire, it guarantees a Palestinian state will be recognized by all these countries in September.”

In another swipe at the notion of Palestinian statehood, the State Department levied new sanctions on Palestinian Authority officials and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization on Thursday.

Thursday’s flurry of scorn for Canada’s plans to recognize Palestinian statehood came after a relatively tame initial response to the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement. When asked about the U.K. recognizing Palestinian statehood, Trump told reporters on Tuesday he has “no view” on the issue.

On Monday, Trump acknowledged for the first time the escalating humanitarian disaster in Gaza, but has otherwise stood alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even as both Democrats and MAGA allies alike are expressing increased concern for famine in Gaza.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee are expected to visit Gaza on Friday to survey aid distribution sites and meet with residents of Gaza, Leavitt told reporters Thursday.

Despite the U.S. support for Israel, Rubio conceded that sympathy from Western allies towards Palestinians in Gaza hurts the image of Israel globally.

“Hamas is sitting there saying, ‘We’re winning the P.R war, we’ve got all these countries lining up on our side of this argument,’” Rubio said. “‘We’ve got leverage now. We shouldn’t agree to anything. We should keep this thing going.’”