Key facts
- Over 100 former British and French diplomats have signed a letter calling for action against Israel.
- The diplomats accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing and the 'erasure' of Palestine.
- They urge bans on trade with settlements and arms sales to Israel.
- The letter states that Britain and France recognized Palestine as a state in 2025.
- The diplomats call for upholding international court decisions and suspending EU-Israel and UK-Israel trade agreements.
- They also demand unrestricted aid access to Gaza and a ban on buying property on Palestinian land.
More than 100 former British and French diplomats have issued a joint letter accusing Israel of the 'erasure' of Palestine and calling for urgent action, including bans on trade and arms sales, to compel Israel to accept a Palestinian state. The unprecedented letter, addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, dispenses with diplomatic language to accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing and warn that the world no longer views it as a genuine democracy.
The signatories, including 52 French and 50 British former diplomats many with experience in the Middle East, argue that their countries, having played a key role in the region's formation and having recognized Palestine as a state in 2025, have a responsibility to act. They contend that Israel's actions, including the planned construction in the E1 settlement area, undermine the viability of a two-state solution and demonstrate contempt for international law.
The letter follows a recent statement by the UK, France, and nine other countries condemning Israeli construction tenders for the E1 settlement. While that statement warned businesses of legal and reputational consequences for investing in unlawful settlements, it lacked clear threats of further action. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband described the tenders as destructive, summoning the Israeli chargé d'affaires in response. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar vowed that Israel would not remain passive.
The diplomats propose seven specific policy steps for the UK and France: upholding international court decisions, suspending EU-Israel and UK-Israel trade agreements for human rights violations, banning arms transfers and military cooperation, insisting on unrestricted aid access to Gaza, banning trade with settlements, warning bidders for settlement projects, and making it an offense for citizens to buy property on Palestinian land.
While criticizing Israel, the diplomats also stressed the need for Palestinians to ensure their recognized state is democratic and law-abiding, calling for the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank and democratic renewal in Palestinian leadership. However, they concluded that the primary focus must be on Israel's determination to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.