Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas is demanding Palestinian reparations from the United Kingdom following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s formal recognition of a Palestinian state. According to the Daily Mail, Abbas wants “reparations in accordance with international law” that could total as much as two trillion British pounds—roughly the size of the entire U.K. economy.
Abbas argues Britain owes compensation for land controlled under the British Mandate between 1917 and 1948. His demand comes even as the Palestinian Authority continues its controversial “pay for slay” program, which distributes money to terrorists’ families. While Abbas claimed earlier this year that the practice would end, he later told his party, “even if we have [only] one penny left, it is for the prisoners and Martyrs.”
Britain joined Canada and Australia in recognizing Palestinian statehood this week. Israel has denounced the move. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned in a televised statement: “I have a clear message to those leaders who are recognizing a Palestinian state after the horrendous October 7 massacre. You are rewarding terror with an enormous prize.”
A Hamas official recently praised Western recognition efforts as “the fruits of October 7,” crediting the deadly terrorist attack with shifting international opinion. Meanwhile, the Trump administration reaffirmed that the U.S. will not recognize a Palestinian state, saying President Trump “would be rewarding Hamas and would be hindering efforts to bring home the hostages.”
As Netanyahu declared, “there will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan River.”
