The mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Gregoire, has proposed granting honorary citizenship of the city to the civilians of Gaza and the West Bank, as well as to Palestinian journalists.
He first revealed this in an interview with Le Nouvel Obs, but has since confirmed it on social media.
Deputy Mayor of Paris Audrey Pulvar will present the proposal to grant the honorary citizenship of Paris during the next Paris Council meeting in June, where the council will vote on it.
“As we did for Kyiv and Nagorno-Karabakh, Paris stands for the rights and voices of those who are suffering, while defending peace, international law, and the two-state solution,” said Gregoire.
The vote is expected to receive support from the city’s left-wing governing coalition, including environmentalist groups that supported similar initiatives in the past.
“Through this gesture, the mayor of Paris expresses the city’s solidarity with civilian populations suffering a horrific humanitarian situation in Gaza and the continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank,” his office told Le Nouvel Obs.
“Paris has always associated its name with the freedom of peoples and with human dignity. It chooses civilians over violence, law over arbitrariness, and life over destruction,” it added.
Regarding the extension of citizenship to journalists, the office of the mayor said, “Palestinian reporters on the ground have paid a considerable price. Honoring them means honoring the fundamental right of societies to know the truth.”
Gregoire met with the ambassador of Palestine on April 21. He said afterwards on X/Twitter that the meeting was “to strengthen the concrete cooperation between Paris and the Palestinian territories.”
Ambassador Hala Abou Hassira said it reflects Paris’ commitment to the Palestinian people, to respect for international law, and to a just and lasting peace.
Gregoire said that he has also always condemned the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, against Israeli civilians.
