ALLMEP’s Regional Director Urges UK to Meaningfully Support Civil Society in Palestine and Israel
At the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool last week, the Minister for Development, Baroness Chapman, reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, highlighting the critical role of grassroots initiatives in sustaining long-term peace. Drawing on the UK’s experience in Northern Ireland, she said:
“Its something that we need to try to take a lead in to establish […] we have to make sure that people to people connections […] that we protect them and cherish them and nurture them, and when we need to, we fund the projects that you need to have in order to give them life because, if there is peace, if there is a deal, that is the beginning of a chapter. That is not the end of the story. And it is because people have that community, that desire, and that determination to make sure that a peace can last…that takes government leadership and that takes work in our communities and that is something that we as the UK government will never back off from”
Her remarks underscored a key message delivered throughout the conference by ALLMEP’s Regional Director, Nivine Sandouka: lasting peace in Israel and Palestine requires sustained civil society engagement, supported and coordinated at the international level.
Throughout bilateral meetings and panel discussions, Nivine underscored that while a ceasefire must be the immediate priority, broader, coordinated efforts are essential to ensure we never again see the devastating events of the past two years. Alone, each priority is insufficient. But together, they can create the conditions for lasting peace. And civil society must be at the core of this process, ensuring that peace is built and sustained from the grassroots up.
On the panel “The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and Prospects for Peace in the Middle East”, hosted by Labour Friends of Israel, Nivine was joined by Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer, Labour MP Damien Egan, Jonathan Cummings (aide to Yair Golan), and RUSI’s Michael Stephens. She emphasised that there is a partner for peace on the Palestinian side and highlighted the courage of people in both Israel and Palestine who are standing up to say “enough.”
At the Open Labour Rally, “Global Challenges, Collective Solutions,” Nivine shared her personal story of gaining a platform to express political ideas through civil society in the absence of national representation as an East Jerusalemite.
During a discussion on “Britain’s Role in a Changing Middle East and North Africa,” Nivine pressed the panel on the importance of civil society. She urged the international community to support a transformative role for civil society in ensuring sustainable peace from the grassroots up, calling on the UK to honour its pledge by leading efforts toward an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. Starting with close coordination among its E3 partners, she proposed creating a multilateral coordinating mechanism to ensure that vital resources reach peacebuilding initiatives on the ground without delay.
In response, H.E. Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the UK, affirmed:
“We need civil society not just to help on the ground but even to get aid in effectively and efficiently, and also to help with decision-making.”
He also noted that the UK is seen as an honest broker in the region and thus has a vital role to play, working closely with civil society and local actors to play a key role in shaping “the day after.”
Alex Ballinger MP, a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, added that the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace “is a necessary step towards getting to a two state solution that is sustainable.”
Louise Sandher-Jones, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence, drew parallels with Northern Ireland, reflecting:
“When we look at Northern Ireland, which I think remains one of the most successful conflict resolution processes, and every day it’s because the people of Northern Ireland choose to walk together in peace. And it is not an easy decision for them. There are many wounds that still run deep—but small organisations, neighbourhood organizations, people simply simply wanting to make a difference on the street where they live… they reach out and try to build bridges…it’s that, I think, which is making the peace so enduring”
To learn more about ALLMEP’s proposal for a multilateral process that would enable governments to coordinate and institutionalize their support for peacebuilding, read our renewed policy brief: Institutionalizing Support for Peacebuilding, Restoring a Diplomatic Horizon.
For updates and inquiries about our work in the UK, please contact rachael@allmep.org.
