Over 100 ex-diplomats urge France, UK to sanction Israel over Palestine

What the report says

A coalition of 102 former French and British diplomats is urging Paris and London to jointly impose sanctions on Israel, according to an open letter published Saturday in Le Monde and reported by Al Jazeera. The signatories say Israel’s policies in occupied Palestinian territory, especially in the West Bank, are putting the prospect of a viable Palestinian state at risk.

The letter calls for several coordinated steps, including stopping arms transfers and military cooperation, freezing EU-Israel and UK-Israel trade agreements, and banning trade with Israeli settlements in occupied land. It also seeks protections for humanitarian access to Gaza through UN agencies, along with access for journalists, diplomats and lawmakers.

Among the signatories are former senior diplomats from both countries, including past ambassadors to the UN and former Middle East officials. One signatory told Al Jazeera that renewed settlement expansion in the West Bank was a key trigger for the appeal. The group argues that France and the UK, which recognised a Palestinian state in 2025, should now turn that recognition into concrete policy.

The letter also places responsibility on Palestinian leadership to prepare for democratic renewal, while stressing that governments must act to uphold international law. Its publication comes amid the wider backdrop of the war in Gaza and continuing Israeli attacks after the 2025 ceasefire, underscoring the broader debate in Europe over how to respond to the conflict.