USF Forum VII

Preparing for What Comes Next in Israel-Palestine

At a crucial moment for Israelis and Palestinians, USF Forum VII brought 120 members of the Uniting for a Shared Future (USF) coalition met in Geneva to assess the road ahead, the significant challenges facing both peoples, and where joint action can make a difference.

With elections approaching in Israel, delayed Palestinian elections and an urgent need for political renewal, significant deterioration in the West Bank under the pressure of settler violence and fiscal strangulation, stalled recovery in Gaza, and a rapidly shifting regional environment, the convening focused on an urgent question: how should we prepare for what comes next? We examined different political scenarios, considering both risks of further deterioration and possible openings, and identified where political space can be protected, where progress remains possible, and what needs to be prepared now.

Discussions at USF Forum VII translated into concrete next steps, policy recommendations and joint actions by coalition members to address urgent needs, protect the prospects of a political solution and advance security and dignity for both peoples. These recommendations will also underpin policy exchanges with regional and European governments to build support for practical action.

These discussions directly fed into conversation with senior regional and international policy makers on the wider political, security and economic architecture taking shape across the region.

We were honoured to have the convening opened by Mme Nathalie Fontanet, State Councillor of the Canton of Geneva; Ambassador Anke Schlimm, Head of Germany’s Representative Office in Ramallah; P4P Chairman Yves Daccord; and P4P Founding Executive Director and USF convenor Hiba Qasas.

We are deeply grateful to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands, Switzerland, the Canton of Geneva, and our philanthropic partners for their continued support, and to all our coalition members for their engagement and commitment to advancing a more secure and sustainable future for Israelis and Palestinians.