WASHINGTON, 5 May 2004 — More than 50 US former diplomats, many high ranking, have criticized the US policy in the Middle East in a letter addressed to President George W Bush. The diplomats, who include former ambassadors to Arab countries in the region, said they were “deeply concerned” by Bush’s April 14 endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s unilateral plan that rejected the rights of three million Palestinians, and retained five large “illegal settlement blocs” in the occupied West Bank.
The text of the letter follows.
Dear Mr. President:
We former US diplomats applaud our 52 British counterparts who recently sent a letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair criticizing his Middle East policy and calling on Britain to exert more influence over the United States. As retired foreign service officers we care deeply about our nation’s foreign policy and US credibility in the world. At the request of our government and military colleagues, we have added their names as well.
We also are deeply concerned by your April 14 endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s unilateral plan to reject the rights of three million Palestinians, to deny the right of refugees to return to their homeland, and to retain five large illegal settlement blocs in the occupied West Bank.
This plan defies UN Security Council resolutions calling for Israel’s return of occupied territories. It ignores international laws declaring Israeli settlements illegal. It flouts UN Resolution 194, passed in 1948, which affirms the right of refugees to return to their homes or receive compensation for the loss of their property and assistance in resettling in a host country should they choose to do so. And it undermines the road map for peace drawn up by the Quartet, including the US.
Finally, it reverses longstanding American policy in the Middle East. Your meeting with Sharon followed a series of intensive negotiating sessions between Israelis and Americans, but which left out Palestinians.
In fact, you and Prime Minister Sharon consistently have excluded Palestinians from peace negotiations. Former Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo voiced the overwhelming reaction of people around the world when he said, “I believe President Bush declared the death of the peace process today.”
By closing the door to negotiations with Palestinians and the possibility of a Palestinian state, you have proved that the United States is not an even-handed peace partner. You have placed US diplomats, civilians and military doing their jobs overseas in an untenable and even dangerous position.
Your unqualified support of Sharon’s extra-judicial assassinations, Israel’s Berlin Wall-like barrier, its harsh military measures in occupied territories, and now your endorsement of Sharon’s unilateral plan are costing our country its credibility, prestige and friends. This endorsement is not even in the best interests of the State of Israel.
It is not too late to reassert American principles of justice and fairness in our relations with all the peoples of the Middle East. Support negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, with the United States serving as a truly honest broker.
A return to the time-honored American tradition of fairness will reverse the present tide of ill will in Europe and the Middle East-even in Iraq. Because the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is at the core of the problems in the Middle East, the entire region — and the world — will rejoice along with Israelis and Palestinians when the killing stops and peace is attained.
Sincerely,
Andrew Killgore, ambassador to Qatar, 1977-1980; Richard Curtiss, chief inspector, US Information Agency; Thomas Carolan, consul general, Turkey, 1988-1992; C. Edward Bernier, counselor of embassy for information and culture, Pakistan 1995-1996; Donald Kruse, American consul in Jerusalem; Edward Peck, former chief of mission in Iraq and Mauritania; John Gunther Dean, ambassador to India; James Akins, ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Talcott Seelye, ambassador to Syria; Eugene Bird, counselor of embassy in Saudi Arabia; Richard Nolte, ambassador to Egypt; Ray Close, chief of station Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 1971-1979; Shirl McArthur, commercial attache, Thailand; Bill Rugh, ambassador to UAE and Yemen; Robert Nevitt, minister for press affairs for the UN; Arthur Lowrie, political adviser to commander-in-chief US Central Command; Carleton Coon, ambassador to Nepal 1981-1984; Jane Coon, ambassador to Bangladesh, 1981-1984; George Roberts, ambassador to Guyana, 1979-1981; Robert Keeley, ambassador to Greece; Harland Eastman, consul general, Tangier, Morocco, and Tel Aviv, Israel; Ronald Spiers, undersecretary of state for management; Thomas Hirschfeld, deputy US representative MBFR Negotiations; Edward Kane, deputy chief of station, CIA, Iraq; Greg Thielmann, director office for strategic proliferation military Affairs, bureau of intelligence and research; Owen Roberts, ambassador to Togo; Chas Freeman, ambassador to Saudi Arabia, assistant defense secretary 1993-1994; Thomas Scotes, ambassador to Yemen 1975-1978.
