France has long based its policy in the Middle East along the principles of international law and has considered a two-state solution as the only way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This stand is informed by long-standing United Nations resolutions including Resolution 181 that favored the partitioning of Palestine that existed initially and Resolution 242 that demanded Israel to withdraw in its territories occupied in 1967.
France is uncompromising on its call to a Palestinian state founded on the 1967 borders with land swaps to guarantee security and territorial integrity. The French officials still denounce the Israeli settlement growth in the West Bank and East Jerusalem which they claim as illegal in international law. The settlement expansion – 8,300 housing units were given the green light in 2019, just one example of how France has grown increasingly worried by the declining viability of a territorially continuous Palestinian state.
More recently, French diplomats have repeated the argument that any such unilateral annexation by Israel of occupied territory is in violation of international norms and that any such action is degrading the foundation of a negotiated solution. Paris calls upon both sides to enter into direct talks and underlines that sustainable peace has to be based on legal equality and mutual recognition.
Humanitarian concerns shaping France’s peace advocacy
Outside the legal structures, there are the humanitarian realities, which play a critical role in shaping the French stand in Israeli-Palestinian conflict. France is also a major contributor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency of Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) providing millions of money every year to cover its basic services in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Even in 2025, schooling, health care and food aid of more than 800,000 Palestinians is still being done by French-funded programs. Infrastructure development, particularly water and sanitation, is an indication of long-term commitment to the enhancement of civilian welfare even when political stagnation prevails. French development agencies also even cooperate with local partners in order to provide emergency assistance in the most conflict or blocked areas.
France has protested the demolitions of Palestinian houses, infrastructure in Area C where almost 400 buildings were demolished within a year, according to 2019 statistics. According to the French officials, such activities do not only deteriorate humanitarian misery, but also weaken the credibility of peace negotiations. International humanitarian law obedience is also one of the most recurrent topics in the diplomatic discourse of France especially when there is a report of civilian fatalities in the escalations.
Political challenges in the peace process
The peace process is prone to obstacles that are however constant and most of them are political and structural. France has been supporting the renewed dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and we promote an inclusive process that would capture the dreams of the two peoples.
Divisions among the Palestinian leadership make the work of the French diplomats difficult. Paris is urging Hamas to denounce violence and accept Israel as a precondition to take part in peace talks. Meanwhile, it promotes efforts to enhance the governance ability of the Palestinian Authority in West Bank and Gaza.
In 2025, France, together with Saudi Arabia, was a co-host of the International Conference on the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, an event that marked a milestone in the 2025 diplomacy of France. The New York Declaration, which was a joint commitment to form sovereign secure Israeli and Palestinian states within an agreed period of time, was the end product of the conference. More than 140 countries supported the declaration, but it particularly failed to obtain support of Israel and the United States.
Although we have momentum at the international level, the way forward is not easy. Settlement, sporadic violence, and alliances in the area have continued to threaten the viability of any diplomatic success. France believes that an all-inclusive, negotiated settlement is the only way to guarantee peace and refuses to take unilateral action that pre-ordains the situation on the ground.
France’s strategic diplomacy and regional security considerations
France’s interest in Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a subset of a larger regional security policy, which incorporates close alliances with the Gulf countries, especially the United Arab Emirates. France has been present in the UAE since 2009 and the military bases allow France to respond swiftly to any security-related events in the region and improve its diplomatic bargaining power.
The second role of France as both a military and peace actor was observed with the reaffirmation of France showing support to its allies in the Gulf situation with Iran and Israel in mid 2025. The presence of French naval and air capability in the Gulf areas provides a deterrence against escalation, and diplomatic outreach provides a de-escalation.
This two-sided posture reinforces the credibility of France in the international community. France is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and the European Union giving it both institutional and regional authority. Its positioning in the West and the Arab world enables Paris to bring forward proposals which reflect a range of regional interests.
Emerging prospects and ongoing complexities
It is still unclear yet not hopeless when it comes to the outlook of the two-state solution in 2025. The new urgency embodied in the diplomatic activities of France such as recognition of Palestinian statehood and coordinated humanitarian activities is an indication of persistent instability.
France advocates gradual measures like stopping settlement expansion, restoring the Palestinian rule in the Gaza Strip, and humanitarian corridors as a prerequisite to bigger negotiations. It further stresses on the necessity of global accountability mechanisms that will make sure that international law violations are not unpunished.
However, there are still actual challenges. The absence of consensus among international actors, as well as political stalemate on both sides of the Israeli and Palestinian executive, do not make decisive progress. Simultaneously, the weakening humanitarian crisis is persistently breeding mistrust and despair, pushing people even further away in a vision of coexistence.
The policy based on the principle of international law, humanitarian duty and long-term diplomatic relations is aimed at preserving the viability of the two-state system in the more fractured geopolitical environment. The structural focus on dialogue, legal standards, and strategic alliances reflects the fact that peacebuilding is not a question of political volition, but rather a question of sustainable structure through international consensus and working mechanisms.
With the development of debates concerning sovereignty, legitimacy and justice, the presence of France as a participant in the conflict is an indication of subtle diplomacy in one of the most protracted conflicts in the world. Its questions regarding the legality, accountability and shared futures are central to the formation of what peace may resemble in the Middle East as well as elsewhere.
