Joint Open Letter to the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine
New York, Awaiting Rescheduled Date
We, the undersigned organisations, call on the leaders and delegates participating in the upcoming High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution (New York, currently suspended) to take concrete and meaningful steps toward a just and lasting peace for the Palestinian people, in accordance with international law and the two-state solution.
While recognising the serious regional circumstances that led to this decision, we remain convinced that the urgency for a just and lasting peace has only grown more acute. The delay must not become a deferral of responsibility.
The letter remains open for organisational endorsements until an official date is announced for the resumption of the High-Level Conference. Organisations wishing to sign are invited to do so via the following link.
The list of signatories will be updated approximately every three days.
All endorsing organisations will receive a downloadable version of the final letter, which can be sent directly to national delegates attending the High-Level Conference
Letter
Brussels, June 17th 2025
To the Leaders and Delegates of the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two – State Solution
Note on the Postponement of the Conference
The undersigned acknowledge the recent postponement of the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, originally scheduled for June 17–20, 2025.
While recognising the serious regional circumstances that led to this decision, we remain convinced that the urgency for a just and lasting peace has only grown more acute. The delay must not become a deferral of responsibility.
The following letter reflects our continued commitment to the original objectives of the Conference and to the principles of international law, justice, and human dignity that must guide its outcomes. We offer it in the hope that, when reconvened, the Conference will mark a decisive step toward lasting peace and human security for all.
______________________
Our Appeal to the Delegates
We address you at a moment of deep moral and historical significance in the long-standing Palestinian question, marked by occupation, dispossession, and profound human suffering. Clear legal and political frameworks through United Nations resolutions and international law have been already established and these foundations must now be urgently and fully realised.
We wish this Conference to not revisit long-settled debates or to issue abstract declarations. Rather, to stand as a moment of conscience, calling for binding commitments, meaningful political will, and concrete mechanisms that ensure the full implementation of international law and the protection of the rights and dignity of all peoples, Israeli and Palestinian alike.
To delay or fall short now is to prolong injustice, deepen human suffering, and further erode the hope for a just and lasting peace. The eyes of the world are upon you. This is a moment that must be met with courage, integrity, and decisive action.
Based on the planned conference roundtables aimed at producing practical, action-focused contributions, we respectfully offer the following recommendations:
- A sovereign and unified Palestinian State
A sovereign and unified Palestinian state must be recognised, one that coexists peacefully and securely alongside Israel, enjoying full legal and political parity in line with United Nations resolutions and international law. This includes formal recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state and the end of Israeli occupation, alongside the cessation of all settlement activity, as mandated by the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice[1] and relevant UN resolutions[2].
2. Security for Israelis and Palestinians
A just and enduring peace necessitates an immediate, permanent, and verifiable ceasefire, enforced and monitored through international guarantees to protect civilians on all sides. Beyond the cessation of violence, a new regional security architecture must be developed, one that promotes peaceful coexistence, conflict prevention, and mutual recognition. This framework must facilitate the disarmament of illegal armed groups and ensure accountability for all violations of international humanitarian law, laying the foundations for lasting security and trust.
3. Narrative for Peace
To sustain peace, Palestinian civil society must be placed at the heart of the peace process, with guaranteed full participation. Legal frameworks in both states should be strengthened to counter incitement, racism, and hate speech, ensuring the protection of minorities and equality before the law. Additionally, support must be given to joint Israeli-Palestinian initiatives in education, media, and culture that foster understanding, empathy, and reconciliation.
4. Economic Viability of the Palestinian State
The economic independence of a future Palestinian state is paramount. This demand lifting all restrictions on movement, trade, and access to resources. International investment and aid should align with Palestinian development priorities, emphasizing transparency, sustainability, and institution-building to support effective self-governance.
5. Humanitarian Action and Reconstruction
Unimpeded humanitarian access throughout the occupied Palestinian territories must be ensured in accordance with international humanitarian law[3]. Reconstruction efforts should be comprehensive and coordinated under Palestinian leadership, with a focus on revitalising healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Immediate measures must also advocate for the release of hostages and detainees, while independent investigations must be established to address violations of humanitarian law.
6. Preserving the Two-State Solution
The international community must unequivocally reaffirm its commitment to the full and immediate implementation of all relevant United Nations resolutions[4], resisting any attempts to dilute or renegotiate the two-state framework. Jerusalem must be upheld as a shared city, with equal access to its holy sites for Muslims, Christians, and Jews, in line with the established international status quo. Unilateral actions that undermine peace, such as settlement expansion or annexation, must be clearly and consistently opposed.
7. Promoting Respect for International Law to Implement the Two-State Solution
An independent international mechanism should be supported and established to investigate and address violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, as outlined by the ICJ Advisory Opinion[5]. Diplomatic and targeted sanctions should be applied to those who obstruct peace or breach legal obligations. All states bear a responsibility to uphold and promote compliance with international law in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
8. “Peace Day” Initiative
The “Peace Day” proposals should serve as a platform for fostering grassroots dialogue, humanitarian action, and education on the urgency and viability of the two-state solution. This day must recognise and support peace efforts without erasing the deep trauma and generational suffering experienced by many. It should create space for both healing and hope, acknowledging the pain alongside the pursuit of reconciliation.
A Final Moral and Political Appeal
The eyes of the world, and the hopes of millions, rest upon your leadership. This is the moment to break the cycle of suffering, and to forge a just and lasting peace.
Do not let this Conference be yet another missed opportunity. Let it be the historic turning point where law, justice, and human dignity prevailed.
Footnotes:
[1] Summary of the Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024, https://www.icj-cij.org/node/204176
[2] UN Archive “Question of Palestine”, https://www.un.org/unispal/document-category/compilation-un-resolutions/
[3] IV Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in time of war, 12 August 1949, https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/atrocity-crimes/Doc.33_GC-IV-EN.pdf
[4] UN Security Council Resolution 242 (1967), https://undocs.org/S/RES/242(1967)
UN Security Council Resolution 478 (1980), https://undocs.org/S/RES/478(1980)
UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016), https://undocs.org/S/RES/2334(2016)
[5] Summary of the Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024, https://www.icj-cij.org/node/204176
Signatories
- Red Nacional de Iniciativas Ciudadanas por la Paz y contra la Guerra- REDEPAZ
- Pax Christi England and Wales
- Pax Christi Flanders / Belgium
- Pax Christi Australia
- Pax Christi Northwest
- pax christi München
- Pax christi – deutsche Sektion
- Pax Christi – Peru
- Pax Christi Scotland
- Pax Christi USA
- Arab Educational Institute – Pax Christi – Bethlehem / Palestine
- Coventry Justice & Peace Group
- Anglican Pacifist Fellowship
- pax christi Diözesanverband Rottenburg-Stuttgart
- Independent Catholic News
- Coventry Friends of Palestine
- Caritas Internationalis
- Liverpool Pax Christi
- Pax Christi Italia – Campagna Ponti e Non Muri
- The Methodist Church of Southern Africa
- National Justice and Peace Network (UK)
- Bradford on Avon Friends of Palestine
- Youth For Peace And Dialogue between cultures
- Daughters of Wisdom
- Peacemaking Associates
- Indiana Center for Middle East Peace
- Jesuit Europea Social Centre
- Franciscans international
- Pax Christi Cava de’ Tirreni (SA)
- Pax Christi Long Island (NY)
- Benedictines for Peace
- International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (EAFORD)
- Netzwerk Friedenssteuer eV
- Forum Friedensethik in der Evangelischen Landeskirche in Baden (FFE
- Cordaid
- Youth For Peace And Dialogue between cultures Morocco
- Interfaith Center for Conciliation & Nonviolence
- Tui Motu InterIslands magazine
- Palestinian Christians in Australia
- Notre Dame Mission Volunteers
- Neos Kosmos aps
- Pax Christi Long Island (New York)
- Pax Christi Northwest
- Pax Christi Australia
- Missionary Society of St. Columban
- EarthHope
- Carmelites, Vedruna ICJPIC
- Benedictines for Peace
- Peace Movement Aotearoa
- Darfur Youth Centre for Peace and Development
- Columban Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations, Australia
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