UK, Australia, Canada Launch $4m Peace Fund for Israel-Palestine Dialogue
The United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada have jointly announced a $4 million peace initiative by aimed at supporting efforts to resolve the long-standing Israel-Palestine conflict through dialogue and community engagement.
The programme, known as the International Peace Fund, is designed to address underlying causes of the conflict while promoting a pathway toward a two-state solution. It will support grassroots organisations, youth groups, and civil society actors working to build trust and cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian communities.
According to UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, the initiative draws lessons from peacebuilding experiences in regions such as Northern Ireland and the Western Balkans. She noted that the fund will empower local organisations committed to encouraging dialogue and reducing tensions between both sides.
Each of the three participating countries has contributed £1 million to kick-start the fund, with plans to attract additional international support once it becomes fully operational. Beneficiaries are yet to be selected.
Discussions surrounding the initiative are expected to include broader regional security concerns in the Middle East, including issues related to Iran, as well as rising concerns over antisemitic incidents in several countries.
Officials also confirmed that recent sanctions targeting illegal settlers in the occupied West Bank formed part of coordinated diplomatic efforts involving other Western allies.
The announcement shows ongoing international attempts to stabilise the region through non-military approaches centred on diplomacy, development, and community-led peacebuilding.
