A coalition of 102 former French and British diplomats has issued an urgent call for their respective governments to jointly sanction Israel. In an open letter, the group warns that current Israeli policies in the occupied Palestinian territories threaten to permanently dismantle the possibility of a viable Palestinian state.
Published in the French outlet Le Monde, the letter asserts that France and the UK must act in concert to uphold international law. The signatories, including former UN ambassadors Jeremy Greenstock and Emyr Jones Parry, alongside veteran French Middle East experts like Yves Aubin de la Messuziere and Denis Bauchard, argue that the two nations must push for equal rights for both Israelis and Palestinians.
The diplomats characterize the ongoing destruction of Palestinian homes and the rise of settler violence—which they claim occurs with the complicity of Israeli security forces—as amounting to ethnic cleansing. They further stated that the international community no longer views Israel as a genuine democracy. Nicholas Hopton, a former UK ambassador to Iran, Qatar, and Yemen, noted that these descriptions are not personal opinions but are derived from the assessments of international legal bodies and neutral observers.
This diplomatic appeal coincides with the ongoing war in Gaza, which has resulted in more than 72,000 Palestinian deaths since October 2023. Despite a ceasefire implemented in October 2025, health authorities in Gaza report that at least 1,285 additional Palestinians have been killed in subsequent Israeli attacks. For Hopton, the immediate catalyst for the letter was the Israeli government’s renewed efforts to expand settlements in the West Bank, which he argues would realistically prevent the creation of a future Palestinian state.
Peter Millett, a former British ambassador to Libya, emphasized that the letter marks a transition from mere criticism to a demand for concrete action. He noted that while ministers have issued numerous statements of condemnation, the current situation requires tangible steps, including the cessation of the arms trade, increased support for aid into Gaza, and decisive action on trade agreements.
The letter outlines a specific set of measures for France and the UK, including the suspension of EU-Israel and UK-Israel trade agreements, a total halt to military cooperation, and a ban on trade with Israeli settlements. Furthermore, the signatories call for a prohibition on citizens purchasing property on occupied land and demand guaranteed, protected humanitarian access to Gaza for UN agencies, journalists, and diplomats.
Reflecting on the historical responsibility of France and the UK, the signatories argue that their countries must hold those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity accountable to avoid accusations of double standards. While the letter acknowledges that France and the UK recognized a Palestinian state in 2025, it insists that this recognition must now be backed by urgent, practical measures.
The document also addresses the Palestinian leadership, describing it as dysfunctional and unrepresentative, and urges it to ensure the state remains democratic and law-abiding, specifically pointing to upcoming elections in November as a potential turning point. Regarding the likelihood of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responding to such pressure, Millett expressed skepticism but maintained that economic consequences could still influence Israeli policy.
Ultimately, the signatories look toward the United States as the most influential actor in the region. Hopton warned that continued inaction by global powers will only store up future violence and create an irreconcilable, long-term crisis. Millett added that the international community cannot remain passive while Israel explicitly rejects the two-state solution and attempts to force Palestinians toward the Jordan River. The report also notes that “The words are not our own,” he told. The report also notes that a step the letter argues now needs to be “made real by urgent action.” The signatories trace their countries’ responsibility back to the mandates the UK and France held over Palestine, Syria and Lebanon after World War I, which shaped the region’s modern borders, france and the UK recognised a Palestinian state in 2025. The report also notes that “These actions, imposing penalties for law-breaking, safeguard the rule of law and show that there is an alternative to violence,” the letter states. The report also notes that asked whether he thinks Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is listening, Millett was doubtful, but said pressure still matters: “Action on trade, if it affects the prosperity of Israel, then maybe that’s a step that would actually have some repercussions in Israel itself.”. The report also notes that for Hopton, though, the real test lies with governments willing to act rather than simply condemn, and he singled out the United States as the most consequential actor.
Source: Al Jazeera
