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.
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