Michaël Delafosse announces a trip to Palestine

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During the municipal council this Tuesday, December 17, Michael Delafosse announced that the City of Montpellier would be represented in Palestine on occasion of the 6th Conference of Franco-Palestinian decentralized cooperation which will be held at the beginning of 2025 at the initiative of United Cities France. Clare Hartdelegate for international outreach, explains the importance of such a trip.

Diplomacy by cities

Montpellier holds the presidency of the MedCities networks (bringing together 90 cities from the Mediterranean basin) and United Cities France (bringing together French communities engaged in international action). It is precisely this last network which will organize, at the beginning of 2025, the 6th Conference of Franco-Palestinian decentralized cooperation in Ramallah. “If conditions allow, all French cities having cooperation or twinning with Palestine will go to work on the current situation and the difficulties faced by the Palestinians” explains Clare Hart who will represent Montpellier.

A diplomacy by cities which makes it possible to maintain bridges when tensions between governments are too high. “We must keep in mind that we are not alone. It’s Cities United France but with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. French diplomacy maintains its position of calling for a ceasefire, stopping injustices and working on a two-state solution. With the mayor of Montpellier we are completely on this line” supports the delegate for International Relations.

Projects with Bethlehem

Twinned with Bethlehem in the West Bank since 2012, Montpellier has never cut ties. Its mayor, Anton Salman, came there last September to meet his counterpart. Paris, Poitiers and Strasbourg also being twinned with Bethlehem, the four cities took advantage of coordinating for greater efficiency in the aid provided.

In addition to the context of the war, Anton Salman and Michaël Delafosse discussed future cooperation relating in particular to water and the preservation of resources but also three very concrete projects. “This city, which lives off tourism, now has no income. It's not Gaza but it is in great difficulty. It is surrounded by walls and people can no longer go out to work. But its mayor, despite the suffering, is looking ahead to the future, he needs it,” explains Clare Hart.

The first project consists of creating a virtual library around a substantial documentary collection from Bethlehem which would thus be digitized, preserved and accessible from around the world. In the same spirit, the “Visit Bethlehem” project will allow a virtual tour of the city in order to encourage online tourism and, in support, generate some income. Finally, support for team training will be provided in order to run a building dedicated to young people in difficulty.

Israeli authorities raze cultural and social center

During the municipal council, Michaël Delafosse indicated his intention to go to Palestine on the occasion of these Conferences. “If I can I will go because I believe it is important today to also be alongside the Palestinian people.” The mayor also criticized the destruction of the Al-Bustan cultural and social center, located in the Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem, created in 2012 and benefiting from the support of the United Cities France network. After a notification six months ago from the Israeli government showing its hostility towards the place then another meaning that it was going to be destroyed, despite the intervention of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot who was on place a few days earlier, the center was evacuated and razed by construction equipment on November 13.

“Supported and financed by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and 21 French local authorities, this center has provided more than a thousand children and young people with cultural and sporting activities as well as academic and psychological support essential” describes French diplomacy which, in a press release, demands “accountability from the Israeli authorities for this demolition. It is part of the Israeli settlement policy which is illegal under international law and threatens the two-state solution and the status of Jerusalem.” A position welcomed by Michaël Delafosse who intends, like other communities, to support the reconstruction of the Al-Busan center in due time.

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