“Believe you can and you're halfway there.”
We are believers. We believe that ending the occupation will only come through collective effort and unity. We believe that an independent Palestinian state can only materialize through a comprehensive peace agreement with the two-state solution as its basis. We believe that to inspire the people we must lead. And we most definitely believe in nonviolence. Peaceful mobilization and selfless acts of courage are the keys to ending the conflict once and for all.
This is why we were inspired to lead and rally hundreds of people through deserted lands east of Bethlehem to plant the foundation stone for the future Peace Park on November 13. It’s a message, as we see it, for the state of Israel to abide by the 1967 borders and for the international community to support the Palestinian bid for non-member status at the United Nations this month.
We were not alone. The people of the rural area of Bethlehem and some Palestinian community leaders insisted on participating in the event, and called it “a beacon of hope for many” and a “positive fact that needs to be strengthened with popular work on the ground."
Dar Salah city hall was the initial rallying point for OneVoice Palestine activists, community leaders, citizens of the small village, and many news reporters who came to cover the event - and in some cases, participate as inspired Palestinian citizens.
Hundreds walked the rocky path through the small hills. Greeted with the view of numerous caves scattered around us, the excitement began to build. Some were singing, others taking photos - the rally was a fascinating experience for all involved.
Upon arrival, the massive crowd gathered around a small monument on top of the chosen location. The monument reads: “The Peace Park, the State 194,” referring to Palestine becoming the 194th state in the UN. The people of the area decided that the garden will be a beacon of hope for the future state and a symbol of peace for all.
“We are proud of this accomplishment,” said Dr. Mahmoud Labadi, spokesman of the International Relations Council of Fatah and OneVoice Palestine Advisory Board member. “The [Peace Park] is a symbol of courage. It represents the Palestinian dream of the future state and peace with all its neighbors.”
Samer Makhlouf, OVP’s executive director, expressed his gratitude to the generous people of Dar Salah and the surrounding villages. Makhlouf pointed out the individual responsibility of each citizen toward ending the occupation, achieving peace, and the role of effective public engagement in creating positive facts-on-the-ground.
The people started planting the trees after. It was a pleasant sight by many standards. The youth leaders and the villagers were working together with one vision, a state for Palestinians and a prosperous future for generations to come.
The once deserted land is no longer forgotten. The trees rise from the ashes of despair and give hope to all. People from all different backgrounds were once more reminded of their national identities and why we are supporting Palestine’s UN statehood bid, reasons why we were there that day. Our work in Dar Salah was finished for the day, but we still have a long road ahead of us.
As I walked back to our rallying point, I looked in the eyes of the people around me; they all sparked with hope and excitement. We were talking about visiting the Park in the future, only this time it will be an entire forest, with tourists from all nationalities visiting the State of Palestine. I told them I would hold on to this thought. I know the challenges ahead are great. I also know that keeping those sparks of hope will be the biggest challenge we will ever encounter, but that this is what ti will take to deliver statehood and peace.
-Wasim Masri
Watch a news segment from the Palestine News Network's (PNN) coverage of the event:
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