Geneva Initiative

Great meeting today between Ambassador Steffen Seibert and a group of young Israeli parliamentary advisors and emerging political leaders from several parties. We held an important, honest exchange on diplomatic relations, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities ahead. Many thanks to the German Embassy in Israel and Ambassador Seibert, a true friend of Israel and of peace-builders everywhere.
Germany in Israel / גרמניה בישראל

The Palestinian Peace Coalition conducted a Palestinian public opinion poll in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, revealing a complex but important reality: support for a negotiated two-state solution remains significant, even as confidence in its feasibility continues to erode.

- 65.6% of respondents said they would accept a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders

- 56.7% believe that the two-state solution is a suitable solution for Palestinians

- 83.6% believe such an outcome is unlikely in the near future

These findings reflect a growing gap between political aspiration and perceived reality. While support for a negotiated solution persists, it is increasingly overshadowed by doubt that current conditions can produce progress.

The results also reflect a strong sense of insecurity and instability, with widespread concerns over settler violence, military escalation, and restrictions on freedom of movement.

You can read about the poll findings on our website.

Nidal Foqaha and Gadi Baltiansky, the Palestinian and Israeli Directors of the Geneva Initiative, met this week with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot to discuss the urgent need for a political process that can bring real security to both Israelis and Palestinians. Gadi and Nidal offered detailed analyses of the political and public opinion developments impacting the conflict within our societies. Minister Barrot emphasized France and Europe’s commitment to advancing a two-state solution.

"Civil society cannot replace political leadership—but we can assist in preserving the conditions, the constituencies, and the ideas necessary for a future breakthrough."

On April 20th, Nidal Foqaha, Director General of the Palestinian branch of the Geneva Initiative, participated in the Global Alliance civil society panel, addressing representatives from over 30 countries. During the event, he presented the work of the joint Two-State Coalition (TSC), highlighting its ongoing dialogue initiatives and the areas in which civil society is best situated to provide answers and support to the many challenges facing the region and the future viability of the two-state solution.

Talia Sasson, one of the leading voices of the Geneva Initiative, writes in the New York Times about how Israel's recent death penalty legislation connects to other policies and developments in the West Bank, while also urging us against the mistake of despair:
"Amid all this, a new chorus of voices is emerging within the Israeli public — both Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel — that rejects the atrocities occurring in the West Bank."

Read the full article here >>

Opinion | The Fire in the West Bank Is Burning Hotter, Out of Sight (Gift Article) An Israeli law aiming capital punishment at Palestinians but not Jewish settlers is immoral, unconstitutional and part of a larger effort to suppress rights.

Happy Passover to everyone who is celebrating!

As we head into the spring, a time of change and renewal, we hope that this holiday season marks a turn towards true freedom: freedom from war, fear, and endless conflict.

On March 15th, we held an online roundtable with Palestinian experts from Ramallah and Nablus to share developments on the ground, imminent threats and future hopes of Palestinians against the backdrop of the ongoing escalation between Israel and Iran. Our speakers shared a range of perspectives, from political to personal, with a diverse group of 80 Israeli stakeholders, including journalists, NGO professionals, and parliamentary advisors, among others.
While the session offered a broad range of insights and angles, all of the speakers emphasized one common message: no matter how the Iran-Israel confrontation ends, it is impossible to make real progress towards a stable and flourishing New Middle East without addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Ramadan kareem from the Palestinian and Israeli peace-builders at the Geneva Initiative. May this month bring change, renewal, hope, and peace, in our region and in the world.

Yesterday, journalists from Yedioth Ahronot, Israel Hayom, Army Radio Station, Maariv, Channel 13, Channel 11, Haaretz, and Davar - all participants in our media education project - joined us for a fascinating briefing about current regional challenges and European Union's role in Gaza with EU Ambassador to Israel. European Union in Israel

H.L. Education for Peace and the Palestinian Peace Coalition (the Israeli and Palestinian branches of the Geneva Initiative) express deep concern and strong condemnation of the Israel cabinet decision towards advancing Israeli annexation of the West Bank on February 8th, 2026.

The changes to the existing arrangements in Areas A and B as well as in Hebron are a clear violation of agreements that Israel has signed in the past. The changes weaken Palestinian Authority control, pave the way for Jewish settlement within Palestinian population centers, and create the potential for dramatic shifts in the status quo at multiple holy sites. Such steps increase the likelihood of a significant outbreak of violence and make the path towards a negotiated comprehensive solution to the conflict much more challenging. From direct statements made by Minister Smotrich, it is evident that the latter is the primary motivation behind the policies.

Areas A and B form the core of Palestinian civil and security jurisdiction under prior agreements and are central to daily stability and to preserving the viability of a negotiated two-state solution. Paving the way to Israeli settler footholds in Palestinian cities is a recipe for instability and inequality. The consequences of unilateral changes to the status of holy sites are potentially
catastrophic.

This cabinet decision is part of an ongoing framework to annex the West Bank to Israel. The discussion regarding the precise nature of this annexation – de facto or de jure – is, at this point, an academic distraction. The reality speaks for itself, and must be openly acknowledged. The current Israeli government is creating an unequal binational state in the West Bank which heightens the risk of violence for Israelis and Palestinians alike and threatens the already fragile regional stability.

Silence or inaction in the face of these destabilizing steps risks normalizing a trajectory toward deeper conflict, greater violence and permanent inequality.