Upholding international law: the UK and France should act together on Palestine
Posted: 22nd August 2026
More than 100 British and French ex Ambassadors have asked President Macron and Prime Minister Burnham to take action together on Palestine/Israel. The letter below is published in le Monde today (22 August) and here as an open letter to Andy Burnham, with advance copies sent to No 10 and the Élysée.
Last year, the French and British Governments recognised the State of Palestine alongside Israel - on the land occupied unlawfully by Israel in 1967: Gaza, East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank. The occupation needs to end, peacefully. Both peoples have the right to self-determination, but the Government of Israel is working systematically to deprive the Palestinian people of that right.
Hamas committed heinous crimes on 7 October 2023, but nothing justifies Israel’s destruction of Gaza and its population or the green light given to murderous settler violence and massive settlement expansion in the West Bank. On 17 August Israel published tenders to build the E1 settlement: a « red line » for France, the UK and Germany. The only way to stop that disastrous development is to deter all potential Israeli bidders. Our governments must now spell out explicitly that the business of any bidders in and with our countries will suffer if they proceed. The Foreign Secretary issued a strong statement on 19 August. Action must follow.
Israeli Government policies wreak grievous harm on Israel’s neighbours, undermine Israel’s standing in the world, and flout laws on which we all rely. The letter recommends seven policy measures to implement international law, advancing justice and peaceful coexistence. The UK and France have historic responsibilities and convening power, to give a lead to like-minded governments in Europe and around the world for a just peace and equal rights.
It will help if you forward the letter to your MP. To do so, please click here.
With best wishes,
Sir Vincent Fean
BPP trustee and former Consul General to Jerusalem
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,
10 Downing Street
Dear Prime Minister,
Upholding international law: France and the UK should act together on Palestine
The United Kingdom and France share values and an international outlook. As permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations, 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.
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 recognised 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 UNSC 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 7 October 2023, but nothing justifies Israel’s systematic policy of destruction of Gaza and its population. Mr 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». 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. This policy of occupation and destruction extends to Lebanon – where many villages have been razed – and Syria. It is a stain on the conscience of humanity, requiring the UK and France to act.
Palestinians have to ensure that the state recognised by over two thirds of the world is democratic and law-abiding, despite the occupation. Gaza and the West Bank need to be reunited politically, administratively and economically. Palestine’s political leadership is unrepresentative and dysfunctional. The elections in November must lead to democratic renewal.
While our two Governments can do much to help Palestine to be a fully functioning democratic nation, our focus needs to be on Israel’s determination to prevent that outcome.
We make these policy recommendations for joint action:
- Uphold the decisions of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court
- Suspend the EU Israel Association Agreement and the UK/Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement for breach of human rights provisions
- Suspend arms transfers to and from Israel and all bilateral military cooperation
- Insist on unrestricted aid access to Gaza, led by UNRWA, other UN agencies and international NGOs, with consequences for non-compliance; access too for journalists, diplomats and Parliamentarians
- Ban all trade with settlements, including goods, investment, insurance and other financial services
- Warn potential bidders for the «red line» E1 settlement (east of Jerusalem) or other settlement financing/construction that their interests in and with our countries will suffer
- Make it an offence for our citizens to buy property on stolen Palestinian land and remove charitable status from « charities » funding settlements.
France and the UK should give a lead to the like-minded in Europe, the Middle East, the Global South, la Francophonie and the Commonwealth. These proposals reflect our shared values – international law and equal rights – which are in our interest. Where there is no law, none of us is safe.
A copy of this letter goes to Ed Miliband, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Secretary.British signatories
Sir Vincent Fean, former Consul-General, Jerusalem
Sir Jeremy Greenstock, former Ambassador to the UN
Sir William Patey, former Ambassador to Afghanistan
Ann Grant, former High Commissioner to South Africa
Sir Emyr Jones Parry, former Ambassador to the UN
Sir Tony Brenton, former Ambassador to Russia
Sir David Blatherwick, former Ambassador to Egypt
John Buck, former Ambassador to Portugal
Sir Colin Budd, former Ambassador to the Netherlands
Anthony Cary, former High Commissioner to Canada
John Casson, former Ambassador to Egypt
Edward Chaplin, former Ambassador to Italy
Alan Charlton, former Ambassador to Brazil
Sir Dominick Chilcott, former Ambassador to Turkey
Sir Edward Clay, former High Commissioner to Kenya
Peter Collecott, former Ambassador to Brazil
Sir Richard Dalton, former Ambassador to Iran
Alan Goulty, former Ambassador to Tunisia
Sir Richard Gozney, former Ambassador to Indonesia
Frances Guy, former Ambassador to Lebanon
Sir James Hodge, former Ambassador to Thailand
Henry Hogger, former Ambassador to Syria
Michael Hone, former Ambassador to Iceland
Nicholas Hopton, former Ambassador to Iran
Rupert Joy, former EU Ambassador to Morocco
Peter Jenkins, former Ambassador to the UN (Vienna)
Robin Kealy, former Ambassador to Tunisia
Stuart Laing, former Ambassador to Kuwait
Robin Lamb, former Ambassador to Bahrain
Anthony Layden, former Ambassador to Libya
Richard Lyne, former High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands
Sir David Madden, former Ambassador to Greece
Richard Makepeace, former Ambassador to the UAE
Mark Matthews, former Ambassador to Chad
Boyd McCleary, former High Commissioner to Malaysia
Peter Millett, former Ambassador to Jordan
Colin Munro, former Ambassador to Croatia
Patrick Nixon, former Ambassador to the UAE
Richard Northern, former Ambassador to Libya
Sir Kieran Prendergast, former Ambassador to Turkey
Thom Reilly, former Ambassador to Morocco
Sir David Richmond, former Director General, FCO
Christopher Segar, former Ambassador to Iraq
Sir John Shepherd, former Ambassador to Italy
Adrian Sindall, former Ambassador to Syria
Duncan Taylor, former Ambassador to Mexico
Richard Thomas, former Ambassador to Bulgaria
Sir Harold Walker, former Ambassador to Iraq
David Warren, former Ambassador to Japan
James Watt, former Ambassador to EgyptFrench signatories
Charles-Henri d’Aragon, former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
Bruno Aubert, former Ambassador to Iraq
Yves Aubin de la Messuzière, former Ambassador and Director, Middle East and North Africa
Bernard Bajolet, former Ambassador to Jordan
Frederic Balcine du Laurens, former Ambassador to Argentina
Richard Barbeyron, former Ambassador to Surinam
Marc Barety, former Ambassador to Egypt
Denis Bauchard, former Ambassador and Director, Middle East and North Africa
Malika Berak, former Ambassador to Oman
Patrice Bergamini, former European Union Ambassador
Alain du Boispean, former Ambassador to Malaysia
Gilles Bonnaud, former Ambassador to Qatar
Christian Connan, former Ambassador to Mali
Gerard Cros, former Ambassador to Mozambique
Brigitte Curmi, former Ambassador to Syria
Serge Degallaix, former Ambassador to Tunisia
Frederic Desagneaux, former Consul-General, Jerusalem
Jean Michel Despax, former Ambassador to Jamaica
Martine Dorance, former Ambassador to Malaysia
Yves Doutriaux, former Ambassador to the OSCE
Pierre Duquesne, former Ambassador to the OECD
Jean Felix-Paganon, former Ambassador and Director, Middle East and North Africa
Michel Foucher, former Ambassador to Lithuania
Jean-Michel Gaussot, former Ambassador to the Netherlands
François Gauthier, former Ambassador to Uzbekistan
Gilles Gauthier, former Ambassador to Yemen
Stephane Gompertz, former Ambassador to Austria
Henri Jacolin, former Ambassador to Bosnia
Daniel Jouanneau, former Ambassador to Lebanon
Christian Jouret, former European Union Ambassador
Gabriel Keller, former Ambassador to Yugoslavia
Regis Koetschet, former Consul-General, Jerusalem
Jean-Loup Kuhn-Delforge, former Ambassador to Greece
Stanislas de Laboulaye, former Consul-General, Jerusalem
François Laumonier, former Ambassador to Lithuania
Eric Lavertu, former Ambassador to Sri Lanka
Patrick Leclercq, former Ambassador and Director, Middle East and North Africa
Daniel Lequertier, former Ambassador to Portugal
Jean Mendelson, former Ambassador to Cuba
Jean Musitelli, former Ambassador to UNESCO
Patrick Nicoloso, former Ambassador to Mauritania
Nicolas Normand, former Ambassador to Senegal
Patrice Paoli, former Ambassador and Director, Middle East and North Africa
Andre Parant, former Ambassador to Lebanon
Michel Prom, former Ambassador to Surinam
Alain Remy, former Consul-General, Jerusalem
Dominique Renaux, former Ambassador to Gabon
Christine Robichon, former Ambassador to Sudan
François Senemaud, former Ambassador to Iran
Christian Testot, former Ambassador to Bahrain
Jean-Paul Veziant, former Ambassador to Ukraine
Thierry Viteau, former Ambassador to Thailand