STORY
The United Kingdom will host a major peace-building conference on 12 March 2026 to launch an International Peace Fund for Israel and Palestine, aiming to bring together civil society leaders from across the region. The event at Lancaster House is intended to map existing grassroots initiatives and create a durable framework to support dialogue, reconciliation and an attempt at long-term stability following decades of distrust and agitation.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the conference would draw on international experience, including lessons from Northern Ireland, to help build trust and strengthen community level peace efforts. The initiative follows recent shifts in the Middle East, including a ceasefire agreement and ongoing humanitarian concerns in Gaza.
The Government has stated that the new Fund will provide sustained financial backing for organisations working to reduce tensions, promote cooperation and support conditions for a viable two state solution. Although there remains scepticism on what can be achieved, delegates at the March gathering will examine ways to coordinate global support and ensure long term investment in peace-building across both societies.