The Council of Paris voted on Thursday, June 18, to grant Paris honorary citizenship to Palestinian civilians and journalists, in a symbolic move tied to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The measure covers Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as Palestinian media workers. Le Monde reported that the title does not grant French nationality, residence rights or other legal status.
Emmanuel Grégoire, the Socialist mayor of Paris, France’s capital in western Europe, called the vote “a commitment to peace” before the Council of Paris.
He said the city was “extending a hand to an entire people,” according to Le Monde.
Hala Abou-Hassira, the Palestinian representative in France, attended the council session and received applause.
Grégoire said recognising Palestinian suffering did not erase Israeli suffering and said Paris would not forget October 7, 2023.
The resolution said Gaza’s humanitarian situation remained “dramatic,” according to Le Monde. Right-wing council members opposed the measure, citing a rise in antisemitic acts in France.
Read: France Officially Recognises State of Palestine Amid UN Push for Peace
Paris hosted Palestinian and Israeli civil society groups last week. The groups urged world leaders to support urgent steps toward a permanent ceasefire.
Since creating the honorary citizenship title in 2001, Paris has also granted it to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.
