But the pair clashed over Starmer’s intention to recognise a Palestinian state later this month. In his Chatham House address, Herzog condemned the plan, saying: “We believe that a unilateral resolution regarding a Palestinian state will be adverse and negatively affect any future process, because it will be dangerous.
“It won’t help one Palestinian, one hostage, and can be adversely interpreted by Hamas.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomes Israel's President Isaac Herzog to 10 Downing Street (Photo by Alberto Pezzali - WPA Pool/Getty Images)Getty Images
A Downing Street spokesperson later said of the meeting that the prime minister had condemned Israel’s action in Doha “as completely unacceptable” and “do nothing to secure the peace we all desperately want to see.
“Turning to Gaza, he reiterated his huge concern and implored Israel to change course. They must stop the man-made famine from worsening further by letting aid in and halting their offensive operations.”
Starmer and Herzog agreed Hamas must play “no role” in the future of Gaza.
The president said that he had not been informed about the strikes on Qatar in advance, as he was flying to the UK. While he lacked details about the operation’s outcome, he described the target, Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, as a major obstacle to hostage negotiations, likening him to ”slime”.
Insisting that Israel wanted an end to the war, Herzog said: “In England, I understand that there is a very strong streak of thought, but I’m trying to present a different streak to a very decent nation that should listen to that streak.”
He suggested the Doha strike could be an “opportunity to get a deal” but did not expand on this.
Raising an image of Israeli hostages, Gali and Ziv Berman, who turned 28 years old in captivity this week, he said Israel’s aim was to "bring back the hostages”, adding: “We want a deal; we are ready to exit the war with a full hostage deal and a ceasefire.”
Herzog said Israel had accepted “every proposal” for a ceasefire for the last year, but Hamas negotiators met Israeli offers with “either a refusal or endless procrastination" and described the Hamas side of the talks as “endless slime”.
When asked about the future of a two-state solution, Herzog said both sides were too traumatised to consider such a step in the near future, but suggested it remained the ultimate goal.
He said there needed to be a “practical plan” which realised “a secure state of Israel living in peace side by side with the Palestinians.
“If you walk in the streets of Jerusalem... you see Jew and Muslim living side by side in enormous success.
“In the future, we should dream and try to realise amiable peace with our Palestinian neighbours but for that, we have to deal with the fact that terror cannot reign in our land... Terror creates havoc and cannot be accepted in any way.”
He warned that terrorism in Israel would spread elsewhere: “Terror starts with us but will never end with us.”
The president was also asked about alleged Israeli plans for population transfers from Gaza, which he denied. He said the focus on inflammatory statements made by Israeli cabinet ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich were being used as “everybody’s scapegoat” and urged Europeans not to take the remarks as if they were Israeli policy.
“Israel is a democracy with as far-reaching free speech as imaginable, but that does not reflect in any way the Israeli policy,” he said. “This is absolutely not the Israeli position or intention. Israel has made it clear it does not want to expel anyone.”
He also downplayed controversial plans to start construction in the E1 area of the West Bank. “It was declared by Minister Smotrich, but that does not mean it is happening tomorrow... it is a long process with a lot of bureaucracy.”
He also rejected “out of hand” comments by Wes Streeting that Israel has to answer allegations of war crimes and genocide.
“Even a recent UK report said that Israel is not carrying out, God forbid, any genocide, and we reject it out of hand,” he said. “It’s very easy to blame Israel without understanding the facts or without seeing it for themselves.”
He said missiles fired from “living rooms and bedrooms” in Gaza made the terrain challenging.
When asked about Jews in the diaspora who have distanced themselves from Israel, Herzog said that Israel “loves and cares for them".
“It’s legitimate to have a debate, I invite people to come and see for themselves.”
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 10: Israel's President Isaac Herzog gestures as he speaks at an event called 'In conversation with Isaac Herzog' at Chatham House on September 10, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Alistair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images)Getty Images
The president said he regretted the fact that Israel had not put more money into public relations: “I think we should have done much better.”
Herzog’s visit to the UK has been plagued by protest, with opposition from politicians for the prime minister meeting with the Israeli leader.
Protesters directed their attention to the Chatham House event, where several hundred gathered to oppose the visit, chanting “Israel is a terror state” and “Zionists not welcome here.”
