Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Saar met with UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in New York on September 21st, 2025, to express gratitude for their opposition to Portugal's recognition of the State of Palestine. The meetings occurred within a 29-minute window concluding at 10:04 PM UTC on September 21st, 2025. Saar's engagements followed Portugal's official recognition of the State of Palestine in New York earlier on September 21st, 2025. This move by Portugal, announced amidst heightened regional tensions, adds to similar steps previously taken by the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Sources within the Palestinian Authority described these recognitions as primarily moral and symbolic, with no immediate impact on state establishment. In parallel developments, Hamas publicly executed three Palestinians in Gaza City on September 21st, 2025, accusing them of cooperation with Israel. Exclusive photos documenting the execution of "resistance security, 3 occupation agents" in Gaza City were shared on X by "qudsn". Earlier in the day, seven Palestinians, including four children, were reported killed by Israeli warplanes striking near an UNRWA clinic in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. Earlier in the reporting window, between 8:37 PM and 9:35 PM UTC on September 21st, 2025, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the release of dozens of ultra-Orthodox defectors, stating the decision was based on a long-standing military outline without political influence. This decision drew criticism from some reports, questioning the discretion of releasing defectors while numerous militants remain unconfined and IDF fighters are deployed in active zones. French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to co-chair a peace conference in New York with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Macron previously linked hostage releases in Gaza to the opening of a French embassy in Palestine. Separately, it was reported that Prime Minister Termap will attend a summit with Arab leaders in New York on Tuesday to discuss a plan to end the war in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously stated that Israel's response to the recognitions of a Palestinian State would be announced after his return from the United States, having characterized such moves as an "award to terrorism." The Allenby Bridge crossing to Jordan remained closed for passenger traffic following a deadly attack, and Egypt announced border security measures in the Sinai Peninsula.
