ICAN Condemns the United Kingdom and France for Diplomatic Blackmail of the State of Israel

The Israeli-American Civic Action Network (ICAN) strongly condemns the governments of the United Kingdom and France for their recent threats to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel meets a list of political demands. These ultimatums, issued while Israel remains in an existential war for its survival, represent a dangerous escalation of international pressure on the world’s only Jewish state and a moral betrayal of the values these two Western democracies claim to uphold.

“The British and French governments are not acting in the interest of peace; they are leveraging their diplomatic weight to pressure Israel rather than the aggressor,” said Robert Mayer, ICAN National Co-chair. “While Hamas continues to hold hostages and threaten civilian lives, London and Paris have chosen to appease the extremist mobs festering within their own borders; a consequence of years of failed assimilation. At the same time, they remain eager beneficiaries of Qatari capital, even as Qatar bankrolls the very terror organizations that target Jews, all while failing to assure the safety of their own Jewish communities. This isn’t coherent foreign policy, it’s moral collapse wrapped in foreign investment.”

By tying recognition of a Palestinian state to artificial timelines and one-sided concessions, the UK and France are not advancing peace. They are undermining it. They are legitimizing Hamas and other terror organizations that continue to target civilians, hold hostages, and glorify the murder of Jews. They are signaling to the world that terror and intransigence will be rewarded, while the victims of terrorism will be punished with diplomatic isolation.

These actions are not only reckless—they are deeply offensive to the Israeli-American community and to millions of Americans who stand with Israel in its fight for security and peace. The governments of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron have chosen a path that places political expediency above principle and ignores the complex realities on the ground in favor of simplistic, performative declarations.

This moral posturing becomes all the more egregious in light of the billions of dollars in economic investments that Qatar—a state sponsor of Hamas—has poured into both the United Kingdom and France over the past five years. According to public records and media investigations, Qatar’s investments in the UK are estimated at over $55 billion since 2020. This includes over $15 billion in real estate such as The Shard, Harrods, and luxury hotels across London; $6 billion in infrastructure, including a 20% stake in Heathrow Airport and 50% of Canary Wharf; and $12 billion in technology, fintech, and clean energy under a 2022 UK-Qatar strategic partnership (Reuters, May 24, 2022). Qatar also owns stakes in Barclays, Sainsbury’s, and British Airways, and attempted a $6 billion purchase of Manchester United (The Guardian, Nov 5, 2022).

“You cannot claim moral high ground while cashing billions in investments from a regime that bankrolls terrorism,” said John Mirisch, ICAN Chief Policy Officer. “The hypocrisy of the UK and France is staggering, and no amount of performative foreign policy can conceal it. This isn’t diplomacy, it’s a transaction paid for with Qatari cash.”

In France, Qatar holds over $25 billion in assets, including ownership of iconic Paris properties, luxury hotels, and flagship fashion houses such as Valentino and Balmain (Anadolu Agency, June 9, 2022). The state-owned Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) owns Paris Saint-Germain Football Club and operates beIN Sports France, which holds major Ligue 1 broadcasting rights. Qatar has also funded elite French institutions like the Louvre, established the Al Thani Collection at the Hôtel de la Marine, and maintained influence through tax exemptions and public-private initiatives (Le Monde, Nov 19, 2022).

Most notably, in February 2024, France publicly welcomed a €10 billion ($10.85 billion) pledge from Qatar to invest in strategic sectors of the French economy—including aerospace, semiconductors, AI, energy transition, and tourism—through 2030 (Reuters, Feb 27, 2024). This commitment was reaffirmed in June 2025 during a bilateral strategic dialogue, underscoring that while France pressures Israel under the banner of human rights, it actively courts deep economic ties with a primary financial backer of Hamas (Qatar MFA, June 2025).

These economic relationships stand in stark contrast to the hollow diplomatic threats now issued in the name of human rights. At a time when Qatari financing is under global scrutiny for its support of terrorism, the actions of the UK and France appear hypocritical, if not deliberately opportunistic.

In light of this betrayal, ICAN urges state and local officials throughout the United States to exercise discretion and reconsider any official engagement with the foreign missions of these governments. French consulates operate in California, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C., including missions in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, New Orleans, Boston, New York City, Houston, and the U.S. capital. UK consulates are present in California, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C., with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Boston, New York City, Houston, and Washington.

While these missions often engage in cultural programming, public diplomacy, and ceremonial partnerships, officials should seriously evaluate whether such engagements are appropriate at a time when their home governments are pursuing such hostile and unjust policies toward Israel.

ICAN stands with the people of Israel, with the Israeli-American community, and with every elected official in the United States who rejects coercion masquerading as diplomacy. We call on France and the United Kingdom to immediately reverse course and recommit to a serious, honest, and balanced approach to Middle East peace—one that does not reward terrorism or punish democracy.

Qatar’s Investments in the UK (2020–2025)

Total Estimated Value: $55–60 billion (existing and new combined)

Key Sectors and Amounts

Qatar’s Investments in France (2020–2025)

Total Estimated Value: $25–30 billion

Key Sectors and Amounts

• UK: Over £250,000 in gifts and hospitality to MPs in 2022 alone; Qatar Airways and Al Jazeera operate in the UK.

• France: Benefited from a 2008 tax treaty exempting Qatar from capital gains; controversy over World Cup and PSG spending.

• Both: Cultural diplomacy, political lobbying, and influence through elite institutions, events, and joint development funds.