Principles for Peace Conducts High-Level Engagements in Palestine

Principles for Peace recently completed a series of high-level engagements in Palestine, advancing its country accompaniment work and reinforcing constituencies for a credible political path ahead. 

Meeting Palestinian Leadership

Principles for Peace was in Palestine to meet Palestinian leadership and civil society partners as part of its country accompaniment work: listening to Palestinian priorities, supporting Palestinian-led dialogue, and working with partners to identify practical openings that can strengthen institutions and reconnect political and civic spaces. 

During the mission, P4P Executive Director Hiba Qasas met with President Mahmoud Abbas, Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh and Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, an important opportunity to hear directly from the Palestinian leadership on the priorities facing the Palestinian people, the pressures on Palestinian institutions, and the need to protect a credible political path ahead. 

Hiba Qasas also met with Dr. Laila Ghannam, Governor of Ramallah, whose leadership and commitment to public service is deeply clear. The exchange touched on the realities facing Palestinian communities, the urgent threat of settler violence, and the importance of grounded local leadership in this moment. 

A Societal Dialogue in Ramallah

At a critical moment for Palestine, Principles for Peace, in partnership with the Palestinian Peace Coalition, also convened more than 80 Palestinian leaders, policy voices, journalists, young people, women leaders, business and community actors in Ramallah.

The discussion brought together Dr. Omar Awadallah, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Dalal Iriqat, Professor of Diplomacy and Fatah Revolutionary Council Member, Nidal Foqaha, Director General of the Palestinian Peace Coalition, and P4P Executive Director Hiba Qasas, with opening contributions and engagement from H.E. Anick Van Calster, Representative of Belgium to Palestine, H.E. Anne-Lise Cattin Hennin, Representative of Switzerland in Ramallah, H.E. Michel Rentenaar, Dutch Representative in Ramallah, and H.E. Feilim McLaughlin, Representative of Ireland to Ramallah.  

Participants focused on what is needed now: reconnecting Gaza and the West Bank, rebuilding trust between institutions and people, linking Palestinian and regional efforts, and supporting a credible political path ahead. As Hiba Qasas underlined in closing, the situation in the West Bank continues to deteriorate, with occupation, rising settler terrorism, restrictions on movement and the fiscal strangulation of the Palestinian Authority placing increasing pressure on Palestinian communities and institutions. 

This convening is one step in P4P’s wider Palestine country accompaniment work, and P4P is grateful to all partners, participants and co-hosts for the clarity and commitment they brought to the conversation.