Israeli, Palestinian civil society groups meet in France as two-state hopes dim

Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups delivered an appeal in France on Friday to urge the international community not to abandon a two-state solution,

as Paris seeks to keep the issue alive amid the Middle East war.



The meeting brought together foreign ministers and senior officials from dozens of countries alongside civil society groups. It marks one year since the U.N.-backed New York Declaration, which set out a roadmap toward Palestinian statehood and prompted around a dozen countries, including France, Britain and Canada, to recognise a Palestinian state.



"We could find every reason in the world to give up. But you are here! Your testimonies alone are grounds for hope and action," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told 250 civil society representatives from both sides.



"France refuses to let the side of war prevail over the side of peace."



The gathering ended with an eight-point “Call for Action” urging a permanent ceasefire, a halt to settlements, Gaza reconstruction, governance reforms and stronger international backing for civil society.