Paris, Aug. 22 (SANA) Dozens of former French and British diplomats have called on their governments to take joint action to compel Israeli occupation authorities to respect international law, stressing that both countries, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, bear special responsibility in confronting ongoing Israeli violations.
The call came in an article published by Le Monde on Saturday and signed by prominent diplomatic figures from both sides, including former officials from North Africa and Middle East desks, ambassadors to Algeria and Jordan, and former consuls-general in occupied Jerusalem. Two former British ambassadors to the UN also signed, along with a former British consul-general in occupied Jerusalem.
The diplomats noted that Israel is undermining prospects for a Palestinian state, denouncing the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, where nearly two million Palestinians live in an area covering no more than 30 percent of the Strip’s territory, amid widespread destruction and severe shortages of food, medicine and shelter.
The former diplomats also condemned acts of violence and destruction committed by Israeli settlers and Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank, calling on Paris and London to ensure respect for rulings of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
The diplomats called for concrete measures, including suspending trade agreements with Israel and halting bilateral military cooperation, according to the article.
The number of victims of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, has risen to 73,419 killed and 174,364 wounded, according to the latest data from the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Kh.A / M.F
