PARIS - The protection of the Palestinian people has become an absolute emergency. In Gaza, mass killings have resumed after several weeks of suspension, accompanied by a total siege and widespread famine, as well as forced displacement; at least 53 000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israeli military operations; the Gaza Strip is devastated and uninhabitable. In the West Bank - including East Jerusalem - more than 1 500 attacks by the army and settlers have left nearly 962 Palestinians dead and more than 7 030 injured in the last nineteen months; more than 40 000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced there.
As the Palestinian people live through the worst period of their history, international law reaffirms the legitimacy of their struggle for justice and self-determination in the face of the desire for erasure to which they are subjected. Following the opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations General Assembly, in its vote on 18 September 2024, demanded an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and the dismantling of settlements by 18 September 2025.
France and Europe must therefore deliver on their commitments. As the UN resolution states, they must 'together with other States or individually support the realisation of the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and refrain from maintaining contractual relations with Israel in all situations where Israel claims to act on behalf of the Palestinians or in matters concerning them'. Eighty years ago, the foundations of international justice were laid with the creation of the United Nations, whose Charter set the conditions for peace. Three years later, member states adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Let us mark this anniversary with our solemn refusal to allow the law of the strongest to prevail over international law in Palestine.
On 3 December 2024, the UN General Assembly decided to hold an international conference. It will be held from 17 to 20 June 2025 in New York. Its mission will be 'to examine the implementation of UN resolutions relating to the Palestinian question'. As a prelude to this international conference under the auspices of the United Nations, we solemnly call for the protection of the Palestinian people and the application of international law. We, the signatories to this call, are convinced that it is the application of international law that will guarantee the protection of the Palestinian people and enable them to finally live in peace and security. For this reason, we call on France to recognise the State of Palestine within the framework of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people.
Equally, we are convinced that only an end to the occupation and an end to the oppression of the Palestinian people will allow Israel to experience peace and security. We therefore call on France and the Member States of the European Union to implement without delay the measures set out in the resolution approved by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 September 2024.
humanité.fr/gnews.z-public
English 
Czech 
Spanish 
French 
Italian 
Russian 
Chinese 
German