Portrait of John Major
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John Major on Palestine

Middle East Pragmatist (strong)

TL;DR

John Major championed active engagement and brokering peace, including direct contact with Palestinian leadership during his premiership.

Key Points

  • He was the first Western leader to visit Yasser Arafat in Gaza in March 1995, announcing a new aid package for the territory.

  • His principal private secretary expressed strong opposition to Foreign Office officials visiting Orient House, reflecting internal diplomatic friction around engagement in 1995.

  • In 2025, he stated that Israel will not be able to totally eliminate Hamas as it is an 'idea' or 'doctrine' as well as a terror group.

Summary

Sir John Major's approach to Palestine, particularly during his tenure as Prime Minister, was characterized by direct diplomatic engagement aimed at advancing the peace process. A key action was becoming the first Western leader to visit Yasser Arafat in Gaza in March 1995, an effort made alongside visits to Israeli and Jordanian leaders to cement relationships. During that trip, he brokered an agreement for EU monitors to oversee elections in Gaza and announced a new aid package for impoverished Gaza, demonstrating a commitment to practical support and bilateral progress.

His administration navigated internal diplomatic tensions regarding overtures to Palestinian entities, with aides expressing concern over potential backlash from Israeli officials regarding visits to sites like Orient House in Jerusalem. Despite these sensitivities, Major's established record shows a consistent focus on dialogue and tangible support measures for the Palestinian entity, viewing active involvement as essential to fostering stability in the wider Middle East region. Later comments also show him critically assessing Israel's conduct during conflicts and questioning the legitimacy of certain military tactics.

Key Quotes

“Israeli feelings about this are clearly pretty strong. And we don't want a re-run of the row here over the status of Jerusalem. Time to stand up to the FCO's Arabist lobby!”.

Frequently Asked Questions

John Major's historical position was one of active diplomatic engagement, exemplified by his 1995 visit to Arafat in Gaza and the promotion of an EU-monitored election in the area, according to his archive records. He sought to balance relations with Israel while providing practical support to the Palestinian entity.

Archival documents from 1995 reveal that John Major's senior aides were wary of ministerial visits to sites like Orient House in Jerusalem, worrying about damaging relations with Israel. One aide wrote of standing up to the Foreign Office's 'Arabist lobby' over the matter.

In a speech in 2025, John Major asserted that Israel could not entirely eliminate Hamas because the group functions as a 'doctrine' or an 'idea' in addition to being a terror group. He also questioned the conduct of the fight against Hamas, asking if starvation was being used as a weapon of war.