'France and the UK should act together to uphold international law in Palestine': An open letter by former French and British ambassadors

The United Kingdom and France share values and an international outlook. As permanent members of the UN Security Council, with a commitment to uphold international law, our two nations believe that those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity must be held to account. Only then can our governments rebut the accusation of double standards. That is why they must act together to uphold international law in Palestine. Our countries played a decisive role in the shaping of the Middle East. They should make common cause over the region's fundamental faultline: equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians. Peace stems from equality. In 2025, France and the UK recognized the State of Palestine. This overdue step needs to be made real by urgent action to safeguard the Palestinian right to self-determination, as the Israeli Government seeks to destroy any prospect of an independent Palestinian state, showing contempt for the law, the rulings of the International Court of Justice and countless United Nations Security Council resolutions. Our governments care about the security of the Israeli people, just as they are appalled by the suffering of the Palestinian people under occupation. Hamas committed heinous crimes on October 7, 2023, but nothing justifies Israel's systematic policy of destruction of Gaza and its population. Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that Israel must "live by the sword" is morally wrong and counterproductive. It imperils Israel's security and leaves no room for negotiation. As a result, the world no longer sees Israel as a genuine democracy – there is nothing democratic about depriving others of their rights and land. In Gaza, two million Palestinians are kettled into 30% of their devastated land, hungry, lacking medicine and housing. Over 1,200 Palestinians have been killed since the so-called "ceasefire" of October 2025. In East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, Palestinian house demolitions and rampant settler violence – with the connivance of the Israeli army and police – amount to ethnic cleansing. Palestine is being erased before our eyes. You have 59.53% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.