To the President of the French Republic, Mr. Emmanuel Macron,
Dear Mr. Macron,
As an Israeli who believes in peace and as someone who respects the struggles of nations for national liberation, I address you today with a bold yet moral proposition: Take true responsibility for the future of the Palestinian people – and offer to establish a Palestinian state in France.
No, this is not written in jest. It is a sincere call to rethink our assumptions about justice, fairness, and conflict resolution. France – a vast, multicultural country with a proud tradition of absorbing immigrants – is uniquely positioned to offer the Palestinians something Israel cannot: a sovereign state, without threatening the existence of another.
First – History is not a matter of opinion
The demand that Israel withdraw from Judea and Samaria in the name of “historical justice” reflects a profound distortion of history itself.
Judea and Samaria – as their very names indicate – are the cradle of Jewish identity, culture, and faith. This is where the forefathers of the Jewish people walked, where the ancient Kingdoms of Israel and Judah arose, and from where monotheism was introduced to the world.
To establish a Palestinian state precisely on this mountain ridge is not a solution – it is a provocation. It is not justice – it is an inversion of it.
Second – True peace requires real separation
Our regional experience teaches a simple truth: whenever two hostile populations share a direct border, blood is spilled. But when there is a clear and total geographic separation – as happened between Israel and Egypt in Sinai – the prospects for peace increase dramatically.
The real solution is not an artificial division of deeply contested land, but rather a bold, safe, and distant geographic separation – one that enables both peoples to build their futures without living in the shadow of rockets, tunnels, suicide bombers, or the constant sense of occupation.
And the solution – is in your hands
Instead of pressuring Israel to endanger its survival, you – Mr. President – could lead a groundbreaking initiative: To designate a territory within French jurisdiction – perhaps in French Guiana, perhaps in a remote province, or even as an innovative political enclave – for the establishment of a modern, well-planned, peaceful Palestinian state.
The French people would have reason to take pride in contributing tangibly to the resolution of a bloody conflict. Israel, in turn, could breathe easier – no longer forced to house within its borders those openly seeking its destruction.
Such an act would not only help end a decades-long cycle of violence, but it could also set the Middle East on a new path of regional peace, security, and international prosperity.
Have the courage to go all the way
Mr. Macron, you are widely regarded as a bold, eloquent, and principled leader. If you adopt this idea, you may win not only the admiration of nations – but perhaps even a three-dimensional Nobel Prize: for peace, justice, and common sense. Do not settle for slogans.
If you truly believe the Palestinians deserve a state, invite them to build it in France. In doing so, you will demonstrate to the world that moral leadership does not begin with demands from others – but with responsibility of one’s own.
With respect and hope,
Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yitzhak “Jerry” Gershon