Paris Call for the Two-State Solution: Palestinian and Israeli civil society representatives come together in Paris

One year after the Paris Call, the context has worsened

One year ago, Israeli and Palestinian civil society representatives met for the first time in Paris at the invitation of France. Together, they signed a joint text, the Paris Call for the Two-State Solution, affirming their commitment to a negotiated solution based on the coexistence of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.

One year later, the situation on the ground is concerning. In Gaza, the ceasefire obtained in the spring remains fragile. In the West Bank, settlement-building has accelerated, further jeopardizing the possibility of a viable and sovereign future State of Palestine. Throughout the region, the escalation of a broader conflict has overshadowed the Israel-Palestine issue on the international agenda.

The event on 12 June at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris

Minister Jean-Noël Barrot met with Israeli and Palestinian civil society representatives – experts, organizations, intellectuals, and actors working for peace on both sides – as well as a number of Foreign Ministers and representatives of European institutions and partners, in Paris, at the Institut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute).

The day was designed to provide a space for concrete work to develop operational recommendations, structured around several main priorities.

Diplomatic progress, instigated by France

In September 2025, the New York Declaration laid the groundwork for a new international diplomatic framework for resolving the conflict. More than 140 States reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of a two-state solution for peace. For the first time, they jointly called for:

• The establishment of a viable and sovereign State of Palestine;
• The disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from the governance of Gaza;
• The regional integration of Israel and collective security guarantees;
• The support of the international community for the reconstruction of Gaza.

Within the framework of the conference on the two-state solution co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, ten Western countries officially recognized the State of Palestine, during the 80^th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2025.

Promoting dialogue between Palestinian and Israeli civil society

The Paris Call is original in nature: rather than a diplomatic conference between governments, it offers a platform for the voices of civil society – citizens, activists, organizations – voices that speak to the reality on the ground and the aspirations of the people.

The mere fact the Israeli and Palestinian representatives agree to come together at the same table, in Paris, to sign a common call for peace, sends a powerful political message – all the more remarkable in the current context marked by violence and distrust.

This meeting also has immediate strategic importance: the recommendations adopted in Paris will be transmitted to the G7 leaders who will meet several days later in Évian. They will serve to inform the discussions of Heads of State and influence, to the extent possible, decisions made at the highest international level.