- More than 100 former French and British diplomats have called for urgent action, including trade and arms sales bans, to press Israel to accept a Palestinian state, warning that Palestine is being erased in front of the world’s eyes.
- The letter, addressed to French president Emmanuel Macron and British prime minister Andy Burnham, was signed by 52 French former diplomats and 50 British former ambassadors, many of whom served in the Middle East.
- The letter was published two days after the UK, France, and nine other countries condemned Israel's publication of construction tenders for 1,200 homes in the West Bank, stating it undermines peace efforts.
- UK foreign secretary Ed Miliband described the tenders as a destructive threat to the viability of a two-state solution and summoned Israel's chargé d'affaires.
- Israel's foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar vowed that Israel would not remain passive, asserting the Jewish people's right to live throughout Israel.
- The former diplomats argue that the overdue step of recognising Palestine needs to be made real by urgent action to safeguard the Palestinian right to self-determination.
- They emphasize that Palestinian house demolitions and rampant settler violence amount to ethnic cleansing, urging the UK and France to act.
- The letter outlines specific measures for France and the UK, including suspending trade agreements and halting arms transfers to Israel.
More than 100 former diplomats from France and the UK have signed an open letter urging their governments to impose sanctions on Israel, citing the urgent need to protect Palestinian rights amid ongoing violence. The letter, addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, calls for trade and arms sales bans to pressure Israel into recognizing a Palestinian state.12
The signatories, including former ambassadors with extensive experience in the Middle East, argue that Israeli policies threaten to erase the possibility of a Palestinian state. They emphasize that Palestinian house demolitions and settler violence amount to ethnic cleansing, and they express concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where over 72,000 Palestinians have died since October 2023.7
The letter outlines specific actions for the UK and France, including suspending trade agreements with Israel, halting arms transfers, and banning trade with Israeli settlements. It also calls for guaranteed humanitarian access to Gaza and accountability for those responsible for war crimes. The diplomats stress that recognizing Palestine must be accompanied by concrete actions to uphold international law.
Despite a ceasefire in October 2025, violence has persisted, with at least 1,285 Palestinians killed since then. The letter highlights the need for both nations to act decisively to avoid accusations of double standards in their foreign policy.
The letter also addresses the Palestinian leadership, urging it to ensure a democratic and law-abiding state, with elections scheduled for November seen as a chance for renewal.
“The letter, signed by 52 French and 50 British former diplomats, was published two days after the UK and France joined 11 countries in condemning Israeli construction tenders for 1,200 homes. It also urges suspension of EU-Israel and UK-Israel trade agreements and a ban on property purchases on occupied Palestinian land.”
The Guardian
