This is a perilous moment in the Middle East. Israel’s actions in Gaza continue to lead to intolerable loss of civilian life. Hostages taken by Hamas terrorists remain in chains, 316 days since the 7 October attack. There are French and British citizens among them.
Fighting between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah has intensified. Iranian threats of further escalation mean the risks of a full-scale regional war are rising.
What we are witnessing is a destructive cycle of violence. One miscalculation, and the situation risks spiralling into an even deeper and more intractable conflict. This cycle, with its tendency towards escalation, is making progress towards a political solution harder.
Our response is to reconnect – using the joint strengths of our diplomacy to press a common message. We, the foreign ministers of France and the United Kingdom, travelled together last week to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. By making the first joint visit by a British and French foreign minister for well over a decade, we are showing our commitment to working ever more closely together in a new spirit of cooperation, in the interests of our national security, Europe’s security and the Middle East’s security.
Our countries have a strong record of working together to tackle today’s challenges and, 80 years on from the D-day landings and the liberation of France, we must continue to exercise global leadership in an era of renewed geopolitical instability.
The UK and France are united behind a common set of messages which we delivered to Israelis and Palestinians, including in meetings with Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, and the Palestinian Authority’s prime minister, Mohammad Mustafa. As UN security council permanent members, we share not only a common interest, but a common responsibility to play our part in the security of Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the stability of the region as a whole.
All sides should focus on the recently restarted negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza. These talks offer a vital opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire that ends the horrendous conflict in Gaza. A route to securing the release of all the hostages still cruelly held by Hamas. And a pathway to restoring stability to a region already under immense suffering and facing the prospect of far worse.
Our visit to a Palestine Red Crescent Society warehouse was a stark reminder of the toll of this conflict, which is unacceptable. Without progress towards a ceasefire, this will only worsen. Brave healthcare workers across humanitarian organisations are racing to prevent an all-out polio outbreak but they can only start vaccinating if it’s safe to do so.
It’s never too late for peace. An all-out conflict across the region is in nobody’s interests. All parties need to show restraint and invest in diplomacy. Any Iranian attack would have devastating consequences, not least in undermining current Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
Only a political solution can deliver the peace we so desperately need. That’s why we want not just a ceasefire in Gaza but why we are urging Israel, Hezbollah and Lebanon to engage with the US-led discussions to resolve their tensions diplomatically, based on the principles set out by UN security council resolution 1701.
The UK and France are not alone in highlighting the urgency of diplomacy to avoid further conflict. Both of us have talked to counterparts across the region and beyond, who share our desire to see a de-escalation in the current tensions. American, Egyptian and Qatari mediators are playing a particularly valuable role in coordinating the negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage deal.
And our engagement reinforces our conviction that urgently securing such a deal is in the interests of Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region. Only a deal can relieve civilian suffering. Only a deal can restore communities’ sense of security. Only a deal can open up the space for progress towards a two-state solution – the only long-term route to safety, security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
There can be no delays or excuses. We must all come together. Reconnect in the interests of peace.
David Lammy is foreign secretary and Stéphane Séjourné is French foreign minister
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