James ButtonJul 17, 2026 – 12.00pmIt hardly felt like a promising time to talk about a better future for Israel-Palestine. US President Donald Trump was about to capitulate to Iran after his and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s foolish war. Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas still hungered for Israel’s destruction. Israeli settlers, abetted by their government, were murdering dozens of Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel, increasingly friendless among the nations, was still in trauma after October 7, while the trauma of Gazans was beyond all knowing.Yet on a cold night last month, about 150 people filled a hall in St Kilda in Melbourne to hear a Palestinian peace builder and an Israeli security expert lay out a Roadmap to Peace.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles