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102 former French and British ambassadors urge end to cooperation with 'ethnic cleansing' Israel

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • 102 former French and British ambassadors have urged their governments to impose sanctions on Israel.
  • They accuse Israel of committing "ethnic cleansing" against Palestinians and violating international law.
  • The former diplomats called for suspending EU-Israel and UK-Israel cooperation agreements and halting arms transfers.

A group of 102 former French and British ambassadors has issued a joint statement urging their governments to take decisive action against Israel, accusing it of perpetrating "ethnic cleansing" against Palestinians. The former diplomats implored French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to lead efforts to sanction Israel, framing the situation as a stain on humanity's conscience.

Palestine is being erased before our eyes. (...) This is a stain on humanity's conscience. Britain and France must act.

— 102 former French and British ambassadorsIn a joint statement urging their governments to impose sanctions on Israel.

The statement, published in Le Monde, detailed the dire conditions in Gaza, where they claim 2 million Palestinians are confined to a small area, suffering from hunger and lacking medicine and shelter. Since a ceasefire in October 2023, over 1,200 Palestinians have died. The ambassadors also condemned the destruction of homes in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and the widespread violence by Israeli settlers, which they described as "ethnic cleansing."

In the Gaza Strip, 2 million Palestinians are crammed into 30% of the devastated territory, starving and deprived of medicine and shelter. More than 1,200 Palestinians have died since the ceasefire between Hamas and the Israeli army in October 2023.

— 102 former French and British ambassadorsDescribing the humanitarian situation in Gaza in their joint statement.

While acknowledging Hamas's "terrible crimes" on October 7, the former diplomats asserted that "nothing can justify" Israel's systematic destruction of Gaza and its inhabitants. They argued that Israel is no longer viewed as a true democracy, given its actions of seizing land and denying rights. The statement also reaffirmed support for a "two-state solution," emphasizing that lasting peace requires recognizing both Palestinian and Israeli states with equal rights, self-determination, justice, and security.

The destruction of homes in East Jerusalem and other areas of the West Bank, and the widespread violence by settlers with the acquiescence of the Israeli military and police, amounts to 'ethnic cleansing'.

— 102 former French and British ambassadorsAccusing Israel of ethnic cleansing in their joint statement.

To achieve this, the signatories proposed specific sanctions, including suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement and the UK-Israel trade and partnership agreement, citing human rights violations. They also called for an immediate halt to all arms transfers and military cooperation. Furthermore, they demanded a ban on all trade, investment, and financial services related to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, particularly in the E1 area, which they warned would physically divide the West Bank and hinder Palestinian statehood. The ambassadors also urged the enforcement of international court decisions and ensuring unconditional humanitarian access to Gaza.

The world no longer sees Israel as a true democracy. There is nothing democratic about taking the rights and land of others.

— 102 former French and British ambassadorsCriticizing Israel's actions and its democratic standing.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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