PARIS: Dozens of former senior French and UK diplomats on Saturday (Aug 22) urged their governments to work collectively to uphold worldwide regulation within the Palestinian territories, accusing Israel of in search of to “destroy” any prospect of a viable Palestinian state.
The 102 signatories of the letter printed in Le Monde included former British ambassadors to the UN Jeremy Greenstock and Emyr Jones Parry, as nicely the previous administrators for the Center East on the French international ministry Yves Aubin de la Messuziere and Denis Bauchard.
They mentioned the involvement of France and the UK was important given the historic roles of the 2 powers within the Center East and the truth that each everlasting members of the UN Safety Council in 2025 recognised a Palestinian state.
“Our two nations imagine that these liable for struggle crimes and crimes in opposition to humanity have to be held to account. Solely then can our governments rebut the accusation of double requirements. That’s the reason they need to act collectively to uphold worldwide regulation in Palestine,” mentioned the letter.
It accused Israel of in search of “to destroy any prospect of an impartial Palestinian state, exhibiting contempt for the regulation, the rulings of the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice and numerous UN Safety Council resolutions”.
Israel launched a navy marketing campaign on the Palestinian territory of Gaza following the Oct 7, 2023 assault by militant group Hamas in opposition to Israel.
Violence within the West Financial institution, occupied by Israel since 1967, has surged for the reason that Gaza struggle started, sparking worldwide concern over the conduct of Israeli troops and settlers.
France and Britain this week joined different nations in releasing an announcement condemning the Israeli authorities’s launch of recent tenders for building within the occupied West Financial institution.
The letter mentioned home demolitions and “rampant settler violence – with the connivance of the Israeli military and police” in annexed east Jerusalem and the West Financial institution amounted to “ethnic cleaning”.
“The world now not sees Israel as a real democracy – there’s nothing democratic about depriving others of their rights and land,” mentioned the letter.
