𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗜𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 (𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱)
𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀
Four heavyweight figures in international policy — 𝗦𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗞𝘂𝗵𝗻 𝘃𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗴𝘀𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗳𝗳, 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹, 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗸, and 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝗯𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗶 — have today endorsed a joint strategic recommendation urging global civil society to act decisively in response to the escalating catastrophe in Gaza and the West Bank.
As the first to endorse this landmark document, the quartet presents it as a blueprint rooted in decades of experience in diplomacy, analysis, and humanitarian engagement.
The initiative, coordinated by Bystanders No More, involved consultations with leading policy specialists to ensure both expert insight and strategic relevance.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿:
• 𝗦𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗞𝘂𝗵𝗻 𝘃𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗴𝘀𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗳𝗳 served as the EU’s top representative in Palestine until 2023.
• 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹 resigned from the U.S. State Department in protest over arms transfers to Israel.
• 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗸 is a respected analyst and co-author of Except for Palestine.
• 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝗯𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗶 is a senior Middle East expert and co-editor of Jadaliyya.
Key Messages from the Strategy:
1. 𝗖𝘂𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲 – 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲
Drop unrealistic demands. Focus energy on winnable, high-impact goals.
2. 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀
Push Western allies to pressure Israel. A high-profile aid convoy could shift public narrative.
3. 𝗦𝗲𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
• June: UN vote on Palestinian state recognition
• Mid–Late 2025: EU trade review
• Ongoing: Arms embargo campaigns (F-35, intel cooperation)
4. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺-𝗨𝗽 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹
Activate universities, unions, cities, corporations/investors and Global South leaders. Use international law and challenge dominant narratives.
5. 𝗪𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆
Avoid symbolic gestures. Push for legal, diplomatic, and economic pressure with measurable impact.
“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥.”
— 𝘚𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘒𝘶𝘩𝘯 𝘷𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘧𝘧
“𝘐𝘴𝘳𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 – 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦.”
— 𝘔𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘗𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘬
The full strategy can be found here.