The fund provides humanitarian aid to Palestinians, takes action against \u201eviolent\u201d Israeli settlers, and supports the Gaza peace plan.<\/b><\/p>\n
Written by: Al Jazeera Crew<\/a> | June 11, 2026.<\/i><\/p>\n The United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada have established a joint peace fund to promote a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; each of the three countries is contributing 1 million pounds ($1.34 million) to the initiative.<\/p>\n The fund, announced on Thursday, will focus on new and existing grassroots initiatives\u2014particularly those involving youth groups, civil society organizations, and women\u2014according to a statement from the British Foreign Office.<\/p>\n The move came after the three countries\u2014along with France, New Zealand, and Norway\u2014announced coordinated sanctions earlier this week against networks financing and carrying out Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the illegally occupied West Bank. The Western countries\u2019 response follows a record expansion of illegal settlements and an increase in violent acts committed by Israelis in the West Bank.<\/p>\n \u201ePeace, justice, and security in the Middle East depend on a two-state solution, which is why our countries have recognized the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel,\u201d British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201ePeace in the Middle East, however, is too often viewed as merely a matter for international diplomacy. Since generations of Israelis and Palestinians have grown up amid the cyclical repetition of conflict and violence, we must also support local community organizations that build dialogue, peace, and trust among communities.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, the initiative aims to take action against \u201eviolent\u201d Israeli settlers and to support U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s 20-point peace plan for Gaza.<\/p>\n The ministry stated that the fund \u201efocuses on long-term peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians, with the aim of addressing the root causes of the conflict.\u201d Cooper added that \u201ea negotiated two-state solution remains the only viable path to a just and lasting peace.\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201eThis fund will help drive progress toward that goal from within the communities themselves,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The \u00a33 million ($4.02 million) fund is expected to expand once it becomes operational and will seek to attract additional donors. The initiative was announced ahead of a meeting in the UK, where Cooper will hold talks with his Australian and Canadian counterparts, Penny Wong and Anita Anand.<\/p>\n \u201eTogether with our international partners, it is clear to us that a negotiated two-state solution remains the only viable path to a just and lasting peace that ensures security and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians.\u201d<\/p>\n Since Israel\u2019s genocidal war against Gaza began on October 7, 2023, the West Bank has been plagued by almost daily waves of violence against Palestinians, involving Israeli troops and settlers. According to UN data, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory during this period. A UN investigation found that Israeli authorities were directly involved in settler attacks that resulted in the death, injury, and displacement of Palestinians, while Israeli forces provided protection to the settlers.<\/p>\n The joint action by the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the $4 million fund represents an acknowledgment by the international diplomatic community that the humanitarian situation in the region has become untenable. On the other hand, however, the use of the term \u201epeacebuilding\u201d is questionable, to say the least, when they are trying to \u201ebuild dialogue\u201d in the midst of a conflict accused of genocide.<\/p>\n Key points of the analysis:<\/b><\/p>\n The duality of sanctions and financing:<\/b> The article highlights that the three countries imposed sanctions on the settlers and have now established a \u201epeace fund.\u201d This shows that the West is trying to distance itself from certain actions taken by Israel\u2019s radical right-wing government, while maintaining the rhetoric of a \u201etwo-state solution\u201d in an effort to save face internationally.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The limitations of a \u201ebottom-up\u201d approach:<\/b> The ministry\u2019s statement mentions youth and civil society organizations. While these projects are important, the cases documented by B\u2019Tselem \u201eLiving Hell\u201d (January 2026)<\/b> <\/a>According to the report titled [...], the systematic abuse of detainees and the violence in the West Bank are systemic problems that cannot be resolved by a civil society fund worth a few million dollars.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u201ePeace\u201d as a political commodity:<\/b> The document\u2019s endorsement of Donald Trump\u2019s 20-point Gaza peace plan clearly indicates that Western powers are pushing for a \u201etop-down\u201d settlement that may disregard the Palestinians\u2019 real grievances and the reality of the suffering under occupation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nAnti-propaganda: The \u201epeace fund\u201d as a diplomatic paradox<\/h3>\n
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