In Landmark Announcement, EU HRVP Kaja Kallas Pledges €18 Million to Israeli-Palestinian Peacebuilding
On Friday, May 9th, 2025, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas delivered a virtual address to the People’s Peace Summit in which she announced a significant pledge of €18 million in EU funding dedicated to Israeli and Palestinian civil society organizations.
In the announcement, Kallas highlighted the role of civil society in peacebuilding initiatives: “For decades, the European Union has been supporting grassroots civil society initiatives to promote peace and stability. And following October 7th, we decided to increase our support (… ) Today, I can announce additional funding of €18 million euros.” HRVP Kallas also warned that “civil society must also have the space to operate. Legislation should never be used as a tool to reduce this space,” alluding to a controversial new Israeli draft legislation that would tax foreign governmental investment in NGOs at 80%, a move that would have a crippling impact on civil society and its contribution toward a lasting and sustainable regional peace.
This groundbreaking funding announcement builds on momentum from last year’s G7 Leaders’ Summit, where, in an unprecedented move– and following a global campaign co-signed by Pope Francis, hundreds of NGOs, and dozens of parliamentarians – language explicitly supporting civil society peacebuilding was included in the leaders’communiqué. It also follows the UK’s recent announcement of support for an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, and Australia making multi-million dollar investments in ALLMEP members for the first time in March, with their $4m grant to Project Rozana. Within the context of the Trump Administration’s suspension of MEPPA, along with all other USAID priorities, ALLMEP is working with other governments and donor states around the world to ensure these vital peacebuilding programs continue, and is grateful for this influx of support from key partners, consistent both with the 2025 G7 pledge and the vital role civil society must play in securing a lasting peace.
