OneVoice Movement

OneVoice Palestine hosts national roundtable to discuss negotiations

Palestinians from the political, academic, and civil soceity sectors met in Ramallah on September 11 at an OVP event.

By Wasim Almasri*

As negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis continue in secret, OneVoice’s role to create positive discussion about them continues in public.

We are the only organization in Palestine actively engaging and conducting serious discussions about the talks with all levels of Palestinian society. This makes our outreach both unique and critical to achieving a Palestinian state.

The September 11 event was the biggest political gathering to date. OneVoice Palestine (OVP) organized a roundtable to discuss and evaluate the ongoing negotiations with the Israelis. Representatives from Palestinian political parties, security forces, civil society organizations, and a number of academics spoke to the negotiation process, Palestinian national interests, and national unity in a little over two hour workshop in Ramallah.

The workshop, entitled “Palestinian-Israeli Negotiations: A Tactical or Strategic Option,” raised a number of questions about the reasons to return to negotiations with the Israelis, in addition to the bases and references for them. Envisioning alternatives to successful or failed negotiations rounded out the discussion.

Fatah Central Committee Member Maj. Gen. Sultan Abul-Enein talked about Palestinian options in the reality of the Israeli occupation.

“Perhaps the option to talk about negotiations in a positive way is a very difficult one, but I understand the reasons for Palestinian leadership return to negotiations with the Israelis.”

While Maj. Gen. Abul-Enein didn’t elaborate, many reasons included the urgency to end the conflict and create a Palestinian state sooner rather than later given the current status quo.

Secretary General of the Palestinian People's Party, Bassam Salhi, explained that the public change in perception toward negotiations is the outcome of failed talks with the Israelis in the past, giving the examples of Oslo and Camp David.

“The best option for the Palestinian National Authority was to go to the United Nations to claim non-member observer status,” said Salhi. “We must expand the scope of negotiations to be imposed on an international level.”

Muhammad al-Madani, Member of Fatah Central Committee, made a number of observations about the title of the workshop.

“Negotiations are a tactical option for Palestinians, our goal is to establish a Palestinian state,” he said. “However, we must wonder, why negotiate? We must move past political differences and discuss what we will get from negotiating with the Israelis. We also should emphasize the importance of reaching an integrated Palestinian political structure throughout the process.”

The participants discussed the principles and references of the negotiations process and Palestinian political strategy during negotiations. Mr. Ramzi Rabah, member of the Political Bureau of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, added in this regard: “The negotiations are not a goal but a tool in our struggle against the occupation. We do not have a political national strategy and there is an absence of support for political decision making for Palestinian negotiators.”

The workshop also discussed the impact of internal reconciliation on the public in Palestine. On this point, member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, Abdullah Abdullah, argued that the Palestinian struggle should remain an international issue crowned by non-violent popular action.

“Negotiations are a national concern and shouldn't be affiliated with a faction or a political party,” Abdullah said. “It is one of the tools in our struggle against the Israeli occupation and it should preserve the Palestinian cause as a central global issue. There is a need for references to the achievements we have made and a dedicated support for these achievements. Non-member status in the UN was the first step and we should resort to the laws of international legitimacy.”

At the end of the workshop, Executive Director of OneVoice Palestine, Samer Makhlouf, spoke of the principles of negotiation and building consensus for non-violent popular resistance.

“There is a need to activate and motivate non-violent popular resistance to support the Palestinian negotiating team with the principles in mind,” Makhlouf said. “We must also think about the outcomes of negotiations and ask ourselves, what are the Palestinian alternatives in the event of failed negotiations or in the event of signing an agreement with the Israelis? What will be our next step? What will be the position of the Palestinian factions and political parties in the light of each event?”

Note: In the coming weeks, OVP is organizing a number of workshops and public events to support the efforts of the Palestinian leadership in the quest to achieve the two-state solution and an end to the conflict. OVP will continue to empower the public in Palestine to positively discuss negotiations and push for the adoption of a unified Palestinian national strategy. These will ensure the achievement of Palestinians’ national rights and creation of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.

*Wasim Almasri is OneVoice Palestine’s communications officer.

Roundtable guests listen intently to the discussion about negotiations and a future Palestinian state.

Amb. Marc Ginsberg named OneVoice CEO

We are proud to introduce Ambassador Marc C. Ginsberg as our Chief Executive Officer. Amb. Ginsberg first joined OneVoice as Senior Counsel this May.

Amb. Ginsberg spent his formative years in the Middle East and comes to PeaceWorks/OneVoice with vast experience in law, diplomacy, media, and business. He served as the Deputy Senior Adviser for Middle East Policy to President Carter and as President Clinton’s Ambassador to Morocco. Amb. Ginsberg has also been active in the private sector, serving as the Senior Vice President of APCO Worldwide and the President of Layalina Productions, Inc.

Amb. Ginsberg is a highly regarded authority on the Middle East, and has appeared on CBS, Fox News, NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, BBC, and many other outlets. He is published in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the International Herald Tribune, and writes for The Huffington Post regularly.

As CEO, Amb. Ginsberg’s responsibilities will include oversight of the OneVoice Movement offices in Ramallah, Gaza, Tel Aviv, New York, and London. He will also direct the redevelopment of the PeaceWorks economic ventures in Palestine that the Foundation will be taking on in parallel.

“The window of opportunity that Secretary Kerry has opened compels me to devote this latest chapter in my career to what has driven me all my years: a safe, secure Israel living side by side with a viable and peaceful independent Palestinian state,” Amb. Ginsberg said. “There is no other foundation in the entire region that has the expertise, experience, and staff to answer the typical Israeli and Palestinian refrain:  ‘Why should I support a two-state solution…what’s in it for me?’ To answer this question, everyone committed to a two-state solution must act, and act again and again in the weeks and months ahead to rebuild faith in this vital goal.”

Thank you from Rachel Steinberg

Dear friends and colleagues,

After four years with OneVoice, I will be moving on to pursue other professional endeavors. It has been an honor to run OneVoice’s International Engagement Program, and carry out the important task of amplifying the voices of our Israeli and Palestinian Youth Leaders. I have been proud to bring together diverse groups of Americans to change both their local and global communities for the better by uniting people to achieve an end to the occupation and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a two-state solution. From leading speaking tours that bring the voices of Israeli and Palestinian civil society to the U.S., to designing calls to action to mobilize support for the two-state solution, to engaging with students, community members, and decision-makers about these important issues, I am very grateful for all that I have learned and experienced with OneVoice. I feel incredibly lucky to have worked for an organization that has a mission I feel truly committed to.

Despite frustrations and challenges in this conflict, I remained motivated to carry out my important tasks in large part due to the daily inspiration I received from witnessing the tireless work of OneVoice Israel and OneVoice Palestine’s Youth Leaders. OneVoice is the civil society partner for peace operating on the ground in both Israel and Palestine, and the strength, creativity, and pragmatism of our parallel programming leaves me confident that the political leaders have no choice but to listen to the will of the people as OneVoice continues to mobilize the majority to raise their voices and demand change.

Moving forward, the International Engagement Program will be managed by Shaina Low, who many of you already know. I am confident that I leave the program in capable, passionate hands with Shaina. I invite you to join Shaina during our upcoming speaking tours in Washington/Pennsylvania/New York (September 29-October 9) and California (November 11-20), as well as to participate in our soon to be launched call to action campaign (stay tuned for details!).

Thank you all for making my time at OneVoice such a rewarding experience.

Warmest regards,

Rachel

British House of Commons ‘applauds’ OneVoice

Members of the House of Commons. (Parliamentary copyright images are reproduced with the permission of Parliament).

By Anthony Silkoff*

OneVoice’s impact continues to be felt in Europe, this time at the UK House of Commons. Sir Menzies Campbell – "one of the most respected politicians of his generation" – has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in support of OneVoice and the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

If you live in the UK,you can email your local MP and ask him/her to sign.

To find your MP’s email address, type in your postcode here: http://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-your-mp/.

Here’s an email you can copy and paste, or you can adapt it for your own MP:

 

Dear ______,

As one of your constituents, I’m writing to ask if you would sign EDM 498, tabled by Sir Menzies Campbell, in support of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations: http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2013-14/498

These negotiations are critical, and there exists no clear alternative to the two-state solution, which would end the conflict and the occupation. Poll after poll has demonstrated that two sovereign states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, is the only acceptable solution to the majority of Palestinians and Israelis.

As well as backing negotiations, the EDM also gives backing to OneVoice, a grassroots movement which is pioneering initiatives to demand a two-state solution.

Palestinian President Abbas visited Westminster recently, and it is clear the UK has a crucial role in supporting the peace process.  A powerful message would emanate if the House of Commons – across all parties – united in one voice, alongside the efforts of grassroots activists and Secretary Kerry, to back the peace process and realise a two state solution.  

As well as signing EDM 498, please consider writing to Foreign Secretary William Hague to highlight this issue, and raising this EDM in parliamentary questions in October.

Yours sincerely,

__________

 

*Anthony Silkoff is OneVoice Europe's Advocacy and Outreach Coordinator.

OVE’s Residential Programme participants talk conflict and negotiations

 

By Sharon Alsoodani*

Every summer, OneVoice Europe brings British students together for a frank and open discussion about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This year’s programme was particularly engaging because the peace process is back in action after several years without direct talks.

From August 19-22, 19 students with an array of views, experiences, and backgrounds assembled at the Tavistock Hotel in London. For many, it was their first time engaging with such a diverse group on this issue and in this setting, which mirrors our Israeli-Palestinian youth leadership programme in the Middle East.

The aims of this programme are to increase participants’ knowledge of the history and complexities that have led to the current situation in Israel-Palestine, to equip potential young leaders to advocate a win-win approach, and to encourage pragmatic action toward solutions for the current impasse, rather than taking a side.

A number of workshops were also held to teach certain skills and techniques such as non-violent communication training, conflict resolution training, and debating.

Distinguished guests including Daniel Levy from the European Council of Foreign Relations, Human Rights Campaigner Peter Tatchell, and the Oxford Research Group’s Tony Klug took time out of their busy schedules to engage with the students and provoke serious discussions on political history, economics and the conflict, and non-violent campaigning. Three leaders of the Abrahamic faiths were also invited to speak about the religious elements of the conflict.

But the highlight of the event was a talk from the Portland Trust’s Sebastian Welisiejko, who gave insight into the potential for economic development to bring real progress in the peace process, especially in light of the renewed negotiations. The students were excited when they heard about the potential motivation for peace that could be gained from a move toward prosperity in Palestine. One student, who had previously engaged in activism supportive of the Israeli side, commented that one action she might consider taking after the course would be to buy and support the promotion of Palestinian products.

It was also very clear that the young people bonded extremely well as a group, and several expressed how valuable it had been for them to meet people from different backgrounds, particularly for the non-Jewish students to have become friends with Jewish people for the first time.

When asked about how the course had affected their views on the conflict, one student said: “It reinforced my belief in the need for a two-state solution and that you can be pro-Israel, pro-Palestine, and pro-peace,” while another expressed gratitude for the chance to participate: “I have had such an engaging and enriching experience and I can’t begin to thank you enough for having given me the opportunity.”

With the potential to take influential positions within their universities (including SOAS, Nottingham, Manchester, City, and Queen Mary), many of this group embraced the pragmatic, win-win approach that OneVoice is advocating, and left the programme with the motivation, inspiration, and ability to mobilise and convince others. Several also indicated that they want to pursue a career that will maximise their opportunity to have an influence at the political and/or civil society level both in the UK and in Israel-Palestine.

The most striking and repeated comment in the students’ feedback was that they had realised the conflict is far more complex than they had previously thought. Many stated that they had been anti-Israel before and now had some understanding of the Israeli view. Another said that he had not realised the extent of the Palestinians’ sense of injustice until now. Such a transformation of attitudes toward the people caught up in this conflict will inform our activism here in the UK, uniting us to campaign for an end to the occupation and for both national movements to renounce violence in order to live together in peace and security.

Note: As a follow up, OneVoice Europe will be offering these individuals and any future participants of such programmes the opportunity to join the OVE Student Network. Those who sign up will receive weekly political updates, further training, reunion activities, and will be specifically coached in OneVoice messaging and advocacy. We will be looking to harness these activists for university outreach in 2013-2014 and provide them with oversight and support to set up their own events within their universities or communities, promoting constructive action toward ending the conflict in Israel-Palestine.

They will also be called upon to represent OV at speaking/panel events, networking events (e.g. community/trade union/political meetings etc.), and to assist with the organising and execution of IEP tours. This will commence with the Labour Party conference in September, at which three of the participants have already volunteered to join the OVE team. The group also expressed the desire to organise their own trip to Israel-Palestine together which OVE can help to facilitate.

* Sharon Alsoodani is OVE’s Education Director and General Manager

The Portland Trust’s Sebastian Welisiejko speaking to the students about economic development.

The students upon completion of the Summer Residential Programme.

State building in Palestine: Community engagement key to success of future laws

Members of the Palestinian Security Forces, community members, and OVP youth leaders in Hebron.

OneVoice Palestine’s (OVP) community is fully engaged in supporting state building in Palestine, and it’s catching the attention of respected organizations.

On August 22, OVP co-sponsored a public meeting with the Palestinian Center for Research and Strategic Studies (PCRSS) to discuss a national security law proposal in Hebron.

Over 60 members of the security forces and community leaders discussed the law proposal entitled, “Developing Modern Legislation for the Palestinian National Security Forces.” It is dedicated to promoting and facilitating the structuring of civil-military relations in accordance with fundamental democratic principles.

Director of PCRSS, Dr. Mohammad Almasri, took the stage and explained to the audience the benefits of creating a legislative law for the Palestinian Security Forces. He said that the importance of such projects comes from its promotion of democracy and human rights through developing legislation for the security sector in Palestine.

OVP supports state building on such principles.

OVP's Executive Director, Samer Makhlouf, and the youth leadership Program Director, Abdallah Hamarsheh, attended the meeting with a significant portion of OneVoice's chapter in Hebron.

Similar to OVP's public meetings program, the event aimed to connect and engage Palestinian leadership with local communities to create a valid discussion over democracy in Palestine and transparency of legislation through public engagement.

“We believe in promoting the culture of democracy in Palestine,” said Dr. Almasri, “and by engaging the public with community leaders and decision makers, we can create a culture of debate that enhances democracy among public and private sectors and ultimately contribute to state building in Palestine.”

Democracy and legislation were not the only subjects discussed during the event. Makhlouf took the opportunity to speak to the current negotiations while promoting positive participation in supporting the Palestinian leadership’s efforts to achieve peace.

“The feedback we received can easily be described as hopeless,” said Makhlouf. “The general mood among the participants is skepticism and apathy, but we need to continue working to achieve an end to the occupation and the conflict.”

Makhlouf explained how vital these talks are to the lives of Palestinians: "We need to move forward and focus on building our independent state. Ending the occupation and the conflict are a priority, but it has to be in accordance with international resolutions for Palestinians to fully embrace their rights.”

A negotiations update: The Palestinian leadership attended a meeting with Israeli officials on September 2 despite the recent events in Qalandia refugee camp. Three Palestinians were killed by the Israeli military, while settlement expansion announcements continue, particularly in Area C near East Jerusalem. Despite all of this, the Palestinian leadership continues to show a huge commitment to ending this conflict. The skepticism among Palestinians is growing around the reality of a viable comprehensive peace agreement, but the work of OVP remains in installing hope and building consensus among Palestinians to continue supporting viable talks based on the 1967 borders and international resolutions.

OVP Executive Director Samer Makhlouf (center) during the event.