When Northern Ireland’s combatants finally made peace in the 1990s, they did so on a broad foundation of grassroots reconciliation and economic development work, built over more than a decade by the International Fund for Ireland. On March 13, the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Embassy of Ireland gathered former government officials, peacebuilding practitioners and scholars to examine what worked in advancing peace in Northern Ireland—and what lessons might be applied to the difficult process of peacemaking and peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians. Former Senator George Mitchell, who served as an envoy in both peace processes, was the keynote speaker.

​The International Fund for Ireland, an independent organization founded by the British and Irish governments, has worked since 1986 to help heal Northern Ireland and bordering areas of Ireland during and after 40-plus years of sectarian violence. With support from the United States, the European Union and other countries, the fund promotes economic and community development, dialogue and cooperation across sectarian lines of animosity.

Today efforts are underway to promote a similar strategy for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which often seems as intractable as Northern Ireland’s violence once did. While scores of peacebuilding NGOs have been working over two decades to build cooperation among Israelis and Palestinians, they have done so with no broad model for steady funding and coordination. Yet experience shows that healing any conflict requires consistent, robust, long-term, and coordinated effort. 

Can the Fund’s experience offer new hope for eventually healing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Our panelists, who have experience in both arenas, identified the lessons from the International Fund and the possibilities for Palestinians and Israelis exhausted by violence.

Agenda: 

Nancy Lindborg, Opening Remarks
President, United States Institute of Peace

The Honorable George Mitchell, Keynote Address
Former United States Senator (D-Maine)

Panel I: International Fund for Ireland: Lessons Learned, 1:30pm - 3:00pm

Mr. Michael Lonergan, Moderator
Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Ireland

Ms. Carol Cunningham
Unheard Voices

Ms. Melanie Greenberg
Alliance for Peacebuilding

Professor Brandon Hamber
John Hume and Thomas P. O'Neill Chair in Peace, Ulster University

Dr. Adrian Johnston
International Fund for Ireland

Panel II: Implications for Israeli-Palestinian Peacebuilding, 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Mr. Rami Dajani, Moderator
United States Institute of Peace

Mr. Joel Braunold
Alliance for Middle East Peace

Ms. Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen
United States Institute of Peace

Father Josh Thomas
Kids4Peace

Dr. Sarah Yerkes
Brookings Institution

Related Publications

Plan for Gaza’s Future Highlights the Challenges That Lie Ahead

Plan for Gaza’s Future Highlights the Challenges That Lie Ahead

Thursday, February 29, 2024

By: Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen

The document that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented to his security cabinet for discussion on February 22 may be his first formal articulation of a postwar plan for Gaza, but is largely a compilation of views that have been expressed publicly over the past few months. Accordingly, it offers few surprises, but could deepen tensions between Israel on one side and the United States and regional stakeholders on the other. 

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

Six Dilemmas Facing Egypt

Six Dilemmas Facing Egypt

Thursday, January 18, 2024

By: Ambassador Hesham Youssef

Since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, Egypt has been heavily involved in efforts to end the military confrontations and wars that have periodically broken out in Gaza. However, the scope, scale and stakes of the current war is unlike any prior round of hostilities. In response to the massacre and hostage-taking of mostly Israeli civilians by Hamas and other militant armed groups during their devastating attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel has launched one of the most destructive wars in its history. Indeed, this war will be transformational in numerous ways, with ramifications for several stakeholders beyond the parties themselves.

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & PreventionGlobal Policy

A Slippery Slope? U.S., U.K. Launch Strikes on Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen

A Slippery Slope? U.S., U.K. Launch Strikes on Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen

Friday, January 12, 2024

By: Sarhang Hamasaeed

On January 12, the United States and the United Kingdom, supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, launched military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the group’s attacks on civilian and military ships in the Red Sea. The U.S.-led strikes are a significant escalation and part of the growing regional impact of the Israel-Hamas war, which the United States has been actively trying to prevent from turning into a regional war.

Type: AnalysisQuestion and Answer

Conflict Analysis & PreventionGlobal Policy

View All Publications