UK, Australia, and Canada Launch International Peace Fund for Two-State Solution Between Palestine and Israel

The United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada announced Thursday the creation of a new International Peace Fund aimed at supporting efforts toward a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel, with the initiative described as a multi-donor fund to back projects designed to advance conditions for a negotiated two-state solution.

“Britain, Australia and Canada have launched a joint peace fund to advocate for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with each country contributing £1m ($1”

Al Jazeera

The three governments said the fund will be launched with initial seed funding of £1 million ($1.3 million) each over three years, and the Media Line said the effort was launched at Chevening as a £3 million ($4 million) International Peace Fund.

Al Jazeera

In a joint statement, the governments said the initiative will complement ongoing diplomatic, humanitarian and development efforts by supporting organizations working to promote peacebuilding and mutual understanding.

The Times of Israel reported that the fund is meant to support peacebuilding efforts to establish the conditions for a lasting peace, and it said Israeli and Palestinian civil society organizations will be eligible under a joint statement by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and her Australian and Canadian counterparts, Penny Wong and Anita Anand.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said, "Peace, justice and security in the Middle East depends on a two-state solution," and she added that "too often Middle East peace is seen as an issue only of international diplomacy."

The Times of Israel said the ministers described the fund as coming "at a moment of acute crisis in Israel and Palestine," and it quoted their view that "The last three years have exacted a devastating and dehumanizing toll on civilians and deepened mistrust and division between communities."

Global Banking & Finance Review

The Media Line said the fund is meant to finance Israeli-Palestinian grassroots projects to rebuild trust and keep the idea of two states from becoming another diplomatic fossil, with money aimed at civil society groups, youth initiatives, women-led programs, and local projects that bring Israelis and Palestinians into direct contact.

The Media Line also said the ministers pledged that Hamas must be disarmed, disempowered, and dismantled so it has no role in future Palestinian governance and poses no future threat to Israel, while the UK government said the fund will complement humanitarian support, efforts to support a 20-point Gaza peace plan, and action against violent settlers in the West Bank.

The UK government said the Peace Fund announcement came as it and its partners moved to crack down on violent settlers, and it said the three ministers affirmed their commitment to ensure that Hamas should be disarmed, disempowered and dismantled as part of the 20-point Gaza peace plan.

“- Fund will prioritise long-term peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians to address root causes of conflict and support a sustainable two-state solution - Initiative jointly announced during meeting of three foreign ministers at Chevening - Will complement existing efforts to provide humanitarian support in Palestine, crack down on violent settlers, and support the 20-point Gaza peace plan - Ministers reiterate commitment to tackle antisemitism around the world, and end the security threat from Hamas The UK is stepping up efforts to tackle the root causes of the Israel-Palestine conflict and support a path to a two-state solution by launching a new International Peace Fund”

GOV.UK

Elaph said the UK and its allies announced sanctions on networks that enable settler violence in the occupied West Bank, and it stated that the foreign secretary urged the immediate implementation of the Twenty-Point Plan.

Elaph further said the UK’s stance was that settlements are illegal under international law and undermine international efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace, and it added that the UK’s official guidance will explicitly advise British companies not to engage in any economic or financial activity in the illegal settlements.

Al Jazeera reported that the fund is focused on "long-term peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians to address root causes of conflict," and it said the initiative aims to crack down on "violent" Israeli settlers while supporting United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan.