The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) held a meeting with a delegation from the Consulate General of the French Republic, as part of the ongoing institutional partnership between the two sides and within the framework of collaboration under the project “Empowering Local Government Units through Local Economic Development Grants.” This meeting also aligns with broader efforts to strengthen decentralized cooperation and provide strategic support to Palestinian local governments in light of intensifying challenges, particularly in the northern West Bank.
The meeting took place at APLA’s headquarters in Ramallah, with the participation of Dr. Riad Awad, Mayor of Tulkarem and Member of APLA’s Executive Committee; Mr. Issa Al-Kassis, Mayor of Beit Jala and Executive Committee Member; and Ms. Areej Assi, Mayor of Beit Liqya and APLA Member. The French delegation included H.E. Nicolas Kassianides, Consul General of France; Mr. Frédéric Cholé, Director of Decentralized Cooperation at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs; Ms. Mathilde Michel, Director of Cooperation at the Consulate; and Ms. Lou Abramowicz, Counselor for Decentralized Cooperation and Civil Society. APLA’s executive team also attended the meeting.
The meeting was held at a critical moment, as Palestinian local governments continue to face existential threats stemming from systematic policies aimed at undermining their role and weakening their resilience. In addition to the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip, the northern West Bank is witnessing escalating field-level assaults that target infrastructure, restrict movement, and disrupt access to essential services. These developments are part of a broader strategy to erode local governments’ authority and isolate them from their communities.
During the discussion, APLA representatives emphasized that local governments in Palestine have long moved beyond service provision; they now serve as a frontline of collective rights defense and a last bastion of civil continuity amid political deadlock. They called for a shift from theoretical coordination to actionable, decentralized partnerships grounded in the specific realities of the Palestinian context—through integrated programming in governance, institutional rehabilitation, and crisis preparedness. The delegation further underscored APLA’s central role in representing the collective interests of Palestinian LGUs and in spearheading strategic cooperation efforts.
For their part, representatives of the French Consulate reiterated France’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Palestinian people—not only through humanitarian channels but by reinforcing the structures of local governance, which they described as vital anchors of resilience and democratic transformation. They also expressed anticipation for the upcoming international conference co-hosted by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this June, which will be specifically dedicated to advancing the two-state solution. The delegation reaffirmed the importance of long-term decentralized cooperation as a tool for producing practical solutions, strengthening institutional capacity, and advancing sustainable development at the local level.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to developing a renewed model of Franco-Palestinian cooperation in local governance—one grounded in equity, responsiveness, and strategic integration. Such a model would bolster APLA’s representative and advocacy role, and position decentralized cooperation as a core pillar in confronting current challenges and reinforcing the Palestinian presence on both local and international levels.