$87.5 Million Now Ready for Administration to Deploy
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On Tuesday, the U.S. Congress passed a bill significantly increasing the funding available for Israeli-Palestinian civil society and economic peace-building, a longtime priority of the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP)’s advocacy toward MEPPA. This marked increase comes as the Trump Administration advances Phase II of its Middle East Peace plan in Israel and Gaza.
With passage of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP) appropriations bill, lawmakers added $37.5 million for the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA). Combined with the $50 million in previously unspent funds, resources available for this program now total $87.5 million – a record amount available for Israeli/Palestinian peacebuilding in a single year.
According to the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP), a network of 180 peacebuilding organizations that advocates for the funding, MEPPA provides an existing framework through which the Administration can advance elements of its broader diplomatic approach – including point 18 of the Trump 20-Point Peace Plan, which calls for interfaith dialogue, advancing tolerance and coexistence, changing narratives and mindsets, and demonstrating the tangible benefits of peace.
Enacted in 2020 and signed into law by President Trump, MEPPA called for investing an initial $250 million over its first five years in projects that build “a foundation for peaceful co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians and for a sustainable two-state solution.” The law also created a private-sector investment mechanism to support development of the Palestinian economy in the West Bank and Gaza.
Over several years, the program funded 28 peacebuilding projects spanning interfaith engagement, healthcare cooperation, high-tech incubators, and youth sports. Collectively, these initiatives trained hundreds of doctors and nurses, established high-tech skills centers, and catalyzed dozens of start-up partnerships.
Following changes to U.S. foreign assistance last year, most initial project contracts were terminated. One MEPPA-supported initiative, a program training and connecting Israeli and Palestinian trauma surgeons, has continued, with management for the funds transitioned to the U.S. Department of State.
With new congressional resources now in place, the funding provides an opportunity to re-activate and expand peacebuilding programs as part of the next phase of diplomatic efforts.
“With $87.5 million now available, the administration has a significant opportunity to expand peacebuilding efforts at a moment of acute need,” said Kari Reid, ALLMEP’s U.S. Director. “Demand for these programs has always exceeded available resources. This funding makes it possible to turn diplomacy into tangible action – supporting Israelis and Palestinians who are working every day to build trust, cooperation, and a shared future.”
In its initial years, MEPPA was able to fund only about 8% of submitted proposals. Of the first 275 proposals, only 22 civil society projects received support, meaning many trusted U.S. partners had to be turned away and scale back promising initiatives.
First authorized by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in 2020, MEPPA has long enjoyed strong bipartisan support. The law followed a decade-long campaign led by ALLMEP alongside a broad coalition of partners, including the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, AIPAC, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and J Street.
Recent ALLMEP polling found that 82% of Americans support continued funding for peacebuilding – underscoring broad public backing for diplomatic and civil society approaches to peace.
ABOUT THE ALLIANCE FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE
The Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) leads a growing network of over 180 civil society organizations, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis living and working in the region. Our work advances cooperation, trust, justice, equality, mutual understanding, and peace within and between these communities.
Internationally, we amplify the voices of Israeli and Palestinian peacebuilders, increasing their profile and raising support for their work and our shared agenda among policymakers. In Israel and Palestine, we raise the capacity and collective impact of our member organizations. Our mission is to secure self-determination for all and to build a sustainable peace in the region.
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SOURCE Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP)
