More than 100 former UK and French diplomats urge action over Israel's 'erasure' of Palestine
More than 100 former British and French diplomats have called on their governments to take urgent action over what they describe as the "erasure" of Palestine. In an open letter addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, they urge trade and arms-sales bans on Israel. The signatories accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing and say the situation demands a stronger response from London and Paris.
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The letter was signed by 52 former French diplomats and 50 former British ambassadors, according to the text. Among the British signatories are two former United Nations envoys, Jeremy Greenstock and Emyr Jones Parry, as well as Edward Chaplin, a former Foreign Office director for the Middle East. French signatories include Patrice Paoli, a former Middle East director at the French foreign ministry, and Stanislas de Laboulaye, a former consul general in Jerusalem.
The appeal was given to two newspapers and published on 22 August 2026. The diplomats say Britain and France have a particular responsibility because of their historical role in the modern Middle East. They also point to the fact that both countries recognised Palestine as a state in 2025.
In the letter, they argue that the two governments should "make common cause" on what they call the region's central fault line: equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians. The wording marks a sharper public intervention than is usual from former senior officials, who typically avoid direct accusations of ethnic cleansing in diplomatic debate. The appeal comes two days after Britain and France, together with nine other countries, condemned Israeli publication of construction tenders for the E1 settlement project.
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That joint statement said the proposed housing would take Israel further from peace and undermine its international standing. It also warned businesses in the countries involved not to bid for the project because of possible legal and reputational consequences linked to investment in what it described as an unlawful settlement. The new letter builds on that criticism by urging sanctions-style measures rather than warnings alone.
The timing is significant because the E1 project has long been viewed as highly sensitive in the context of the two-state solution. The construction of 1,200 homes in the area would bisect the West Bank, according to the earlier statement cited in the letter's background. Supporters of Palestinian statehood see such settlement expansion as making a future contiguous Palestinian state harder to achieve.
For that reason, the diplomats' call for trade and arms restrictions is likely to add pressure on both governments to clarify how far they are prepared to go beyond verbal condemnation. The letter also reflects a broader shift in tone among some former officials who have served in the region. Several of the signatories held senior posts in countries including Egypt, Iran, Bahrain, Israel, Syria, Turkey, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Their intervention suggests concern that the conflict is moving further away from a negotiated settlement and that diplomatic language alone is no longer sufficient. It also places renewed attention on the role of European governments in responding to developments in the occupied territories. What remains unclear is whether Macron or Burnham will respond publicly to the appeal, or whether either government will consider the measures requested.
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The letter does not set out a timetable for action, and it is not yet known whether the call will gain wider political backing. The next point to watch is whether the criticism of the E1 project turns into concrete policy proposals on trade, arms sales or other restrictions.
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