Over 100 Former UK, French Ambassadors Accuse Israel of Ethnic Cleansing
More than 100 former British and French diplomats have signed an open letter urging their leaders to ban trade and arms sales to Israel in order to press for Palestinian statehood.
A group of more than 100 former British and French diplomats has sent an open letter to the French President and the British Prime Minister, expressing concern over what they describe as Israel's "erasure" of Palestine. The letter calls for a ban on trade and arms sales with Israel as a means of pressuring the country to accept the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Among the signatories
One of those who signed the letter is Sir Vincent Fean, a former British Consul-General in Jerusalem who currently serves as a trustee of the Britain Palestine Project. He responded to questions about what the signatories hope the letter will accomplish.
Purpose of the letter
The former diplomats argue that the current situation calls for concrete government action rather than mere statements. They suggest that restricting trade and arms sales could serve as an effective form of pressure to move Israel toward accepting Palestinian statehood.
The letter is addressed jointly to the French President and the British Prime Minister, signaling that the initiative aims to shift both countries' foreign policy positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
