Condemning atrocities or expressing abstract support for a ‘two-state solution’ is no longer sufficient, argues an international group of 121 academics and intellectuals.

The European Union must urgently support a political shift toward a just and equal future for Palestinians and Israelis through a confederation of two sovereign states. Rooted in the principles of A Land for All, this confederation – under the principle of two states in one homeland – is based on full political equality, mutual recognition, freedom of movement, shared Jerusalem, and a return mechanism for refugees through cooperation – not separation.

As the war devastates the lives of Palestinians and Israelis, and as Jewish and Palestinian communities around the world reel from pain, fear, and grief, we believe Europe must act with courage and clarity. A Land for All is a political movement that includes Palestinians and Israelis from across the homeland.

The ongoing cycle of war, occupation, and displacement has reached a political and moral breaking point. The continued support – whether implicit or explicit – of the international community for the status quo has allowed deepening violence, impunity, and authoritarianism to flourish. It is no longer enough to condemn atrocities or express support for a « two-state solution » in the abstract. What is needed is concrete backing for a new political horizon: one rooted in justice, dignity, and the shared humanity of both peoples.

The confederation model – two states in one homeland – offers this horizon. It is a practical, deeply considered framework created by Palestinians and Israelis working together, grounded in international law and present-day realities. Based on our commitment to international law and recognition of the realities on the ground, we offer a pragmatic path forward: Both peoples feel a deep connection to the land – and that will not change. This connection must be acknowledged, and any political process must begin from the current reality, not from the diplomatic frameworks of 30 years ago, at the time of the Oslo Accords.

We wish to affirm and strengthen what has already been said: the connection between defending the system of international laws and human rights and defending the rights of Palestinians to liberty and self-determination, which the international community has long failed to guarantee. There can be no true international stability without rights for Palestinians; this vacuum undermines the entire international system.

It is the duty of the EU – historically, politically and morally – to lead in supporting this shift. Europe has experienced the devastation of nationalist conflict and the power of integration. The EU was built on the promise that shared sovereignty and cooperation can replace war. That lesson must now be applied beyond its borders, especially in a region where Europe has long played a decisive role.

A confederation is the only realistic foundation for long-term security, economic development, welfare, and environmental sustainability for both Israelis and Palestinians. It can prevent further cycles of dehumanization and ensure that both peoples can live in dignity and peace. Continuing to support governments that prioritize expansion, occupation, and control over life and equality is a betrayal of Europe’s foundational values.

We call on the European Union to take a principled and courageous stand for peace, justice, and equality in the shared homeland of both Israelis and Palestinians. This means publicly endorsing the confederation model as a viable, just, and visionary alternative to the crumbling status quo. It means recognizing the State of Palestine not as a symbolic gesture, but as a transformative step toward ending the occupation and enabling equal sovereignty. It means using Europe’s economic and diplomatic influence to take immediate and drastic measures to stop the war and annexation, and incentivize concrete steps toward equality, including support for bi-national cooperation. It means providing robust support to grassroots and civil society initiatives that promote peace, democratic resistance, shared governance, mutual recognition, and the hard work of transitional justice.

This is not a time for silence or ambiguity. The EU must take a stand for peace over domination, for equality over oppression, for a future shared by both peoples and rooted in justice. The era of neutrality is over. The moment for European leadership is now!

First signatories: Annie Ernaux, writer and Nobel Prize in Literature in 2022; Sari Hanafi, professor of sociology at the American University of Beirut; François Héran, professor at the Collège de France; Cécile Laborde, professor of political theory at the University of Oxford; Chibli Mallat, lawyer and professor emeritus of law at the University of Utah; Florian Meinel, professor of constitutional law at the University of Göttingen; Samuel Moyn, professor of law and history at Yale University; Thomas Piketty, professor of economy at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales and Paris School of Economics and professor at the Paris School of Economics; Kenneth Pomeranz, professor of history at the University of Chicago; Julie Ringelheim, professor of law at the University of Louvain; Gisèle Sapiro, professor of sociology at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Science Sociales and National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS); Svetlana Slapsak, professor of anthropology of ancient worlds; Abram de Swaan, professor emeritus of social sciences at the University of Amsterdam; Olga Tokarczuk, writer and Nobel Prize in Literature in 2018; Dag Tuastad, professor in Middle Eastern studies at the University of Oslo.

This declaration can be signed here:

https://www.2s1hdeclaration.com/