Key facts
- Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups met in Paris to urge G7 leaders to act on the Gaza conflict.
- They called for a permanent ceasefire, a halt to settlements, Gaza reconstruction, and governance reforms.
Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups appealed to G7 leaders to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza, disarm Hamas, and begin reconstruction, warning that the window for a two-state solution is narrowing amid escalating violence.
The appeal from Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups to G7 leaders highlights the urgent need for international intervention to address the Gaza conflict and revive the prospects for a two-state solution, underscoring the risks of continued violence and settlement expansion.
Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups convened in Paris to implore G7 leaders to intervene decisively at their upcoming summit in Évian-les-Bains, emphasizing the dwindling prospects for a two-state solution. The activists presented a joint statement highlighting the devastation in Gaza, ongoing threats to Israel, and the undermining of a future Palestinian state through settler violence and expansion.
The groups specifically called for G7 action to enforce a ceasefire, facilitate the disarmament of Hamas, and initiate reconstruction efforts in Gaza. They also advocated for integrating various peace processes into a single, cohesive program. The activists expressed concern that discussions on Gaza might be overlooked at the summit, urging leaders instead to recognize the critical, albeit narrowing, window for a diplomatic solution.
The conference comes amid escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, with diplomats stating that expansion is aimed at undermining prospects for a Palestinian state. A key concern is Israel's plan to build a settlement east of Jerusalem, known as the E1 project, which would bisect the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that the two-state solution remains the only viable path to lasting peace, and that illegal Israeli settlements continue to expand at an unprecedented pace with increasing settler violence without sufficient accountability. Britain, Canada, France, and Norway announced new coordinated sanctions against Israeli networks involved in financing, enabling, and carrying out violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Israel and the United States declined to attend the meeting in Paris, with the Israeli embassy stating that the ambassador would not attend as it has nothing to do with promoting peace and that France cannot act as a mediator.