UK to host landmark Israeli-Palestinian peace conference in March

The UK will host the inaugural meeting of the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace next March, in what UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has described as a “crucial step” towards bridging deep-seated divisions and advancing a viable two-state solution in the Middle East.

The announcement was made on Monday by Cooper, and also by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she addressed the Labour Friends of Israel annual lunch.

They both underscored the significance of the upcoming conference at Lancaster House.

The event will bring together Palestinian and Israeli civil society organizations, aiming to foster dialogue, build common ground, and support peacebuilding efforts between the two peoples.

“This conference will be a crucial step in that journey, bringing together representatives of Palestinian and Israeli civil society to build common ground between their communities, challenge entrenched divisions, and work towards a future where both states can live side-by-side in peace and security,” Cooper stated.

She added that the UK is “well placed to host and facilitate these talks,” and emphasised the role of the new International Peace Fund in providing practical support to drive the initiative forward.

Reeves confirmed the event would go ahead at the historic venue, noting the importance of placing civil society groups “at the forefront of our efforts to advance long-term peace, and a two-state solution.”

The announcement fulfills a pledge made by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who last year expressed his support for the International Peace Fund.

Starmer has privately met with key figures involved in the peace process, including the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) executive director John Lyndon, peacebuilders Ibrahim Abu Ahmed and Barak Talmo, and UK Advocacy Manager Rachael Liss.

Lyndon had previously praised the PM’s willingness to take the lead over the peace-building initiative, with ALLMEP representing over 160 Israeli and Palestinian member organisations. UK’s lead role on Israeli-Palestinian Fund project hailed as major foreign policy shift

With an office in Ramallah in the West Bank, and an office in Tel Aviv, ALLMEP aims to build trust along with creative ideas rooted in Israeli/ Palestinian partnerships.

International policy team members work inside the West Bank and will once again aim to increase their presence in Gaza.

The UK’s decision to proceed with the conference comes amid ongoing efforts to create an environment conducive to peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians.

Jonathan Powell, the UK’s national security advisor and a veteran of the Northern Ireland peace process, has shown sustained interest in supporting such initiatives.

The conference is scheduled at a critical moment, following a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, and is expected to draw on lessons from the Good Friday Agreement to support grassroots relationship-building and shift public attitudes toward conflict resolution.

Michael Rubin, director of Labour Friends of Israel, welcomed the move, saying: “In opposition, Keir Starmer repeatedly pledged Labour’s support for establishing an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace.

“At this critical time, we are delighted that the government is delivering on that pledge, drawing on the successful lessons of the Good Friday Agreement to support peacebuilding and lay the vital civic society foundations for a two-state solution.”

The International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace aims to provide ongoing support for civil society initiatives, promoting understanding and cooperation as a foundation for lasting peace in the region.