In a Westminster Hall debate this week, MPs from across the political divide called on the UK Government to support ALLMEP’s campaign to create an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace.
The campaign received unanimous support from all MPs who rose to speak in the ninety-minute dedicated debate.
Among Conservatives to give speeches included, Nicola Richards MP and Christian Wakeford MP.
Nicola Richards MP said: “This International Fund offers a viable pathway forward to ensure that aid goes directly to projects that bring Israelis and Palestinians together, all of which is overseen by a transparent system of scrutiny and review. It is a path that we must seize and support”.
She urged the Government to support peace building between Israelis and Palestinians: “An outward-looking Global Britain should be at the forefront of multilateral efforts to promote peace and coexistence, which lay the groundwork for a much sought-after peace deal”.
Christian Wakeford MP supported the fund, but acknowledged that but in the past “some Palestinian participants have been criticised for taking part in activities that ‘normalise’ relations with Israel”, including by PA leaders”.
He underlined the importance of UK aid not being misused, emphasising that for “many years now, we have heard concerns raised by UK taxpayers that their aid is perpetuating the conflict, not helping to resolve it”.
FCDO Minister James Duddridge underlined that the “people of Israel deserve to live free from the scourge of terrorism, free from antisemitic incitement” and commited to looking at the possibility of the UK supporting the International Fund for Peace.
The US Middle East Partnership for Peace Act – which has received bipartisan support in the US Congress – will allocate the fund $110m over five years to support people-to-people projects between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as a further much-needed $140m in investments in the Palestinian economy.
Labour’s Catherine McKinnell MP, a vice chair of Labour Friends of Israel, led the debate in Westminster Hall.
