UK Announces Hosting of "Peace Building" Conference for Palestine and Israel in March

SadaNews - The British government announced on Tuesday that it will host an important conference on peace building and the establishment of an international peace fund for Israel and Palestine on March 12.

The Foreign Office explained in a statement that the conference will bring together civil society leaders from across the region, and it represents the fulfillment of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's commitment to host the conference and establish a fund that provides the long-term financing necessary for peace efforts.

The statement said, "Civil society organizations in Israel and Palestine play a vital role in sustaining the momentum of progress witnessed in recent months. Over the past year, the UK has been working with its partners both on the ground and internationally to ensure that civil society organizations are ready to lead efforts to promote long-term stability and advance progress towards a two-state solution that guarantees peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians."

The statement also quoted British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper as saying, "After two years of horrific suffering, it has been two months since the ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States came into effect. However, it remains extremely fragile, and there is still a long way to go to implement the twenty-point plan adopted by the United Nations and achieve a just and lasting peace."

The statement continued that the conference will be "a crucial step in this journey; it brings together representatives of Palestinian and Israeli civil society to build common ground between their communities, challenge entrenched divisions, and work towards a future where the two states can live side by side in peace and security."