OneVoice Movement

OneVoice Hosts Building Bridges for Peace

Dr. Patrick Magee and Jo Berry of Building Bridges for Peace met students at OneVoice Israel event at the University of Haifa. They travelled to Ramallah the next day to meet with OneVoice Palestine activists. 

On March 13, Dr. Patrick Magee, a former IRA member, and the daughter of one of Magee’s victims, Jo Berry, spoke about the role of forgiveness and conflict resolution at an event co-sponsored by OneVoice Israel and Haifa University.

The event enabled Pat and Jo, founders of Building Bridges for Peace, to share their unique story and relay back to the students the importance that understanding and dialogue played in their reconciliation. Indeed, a key theme throughout the talk was empathy, for it is only through understanding of where someone else comes from that we are able to learn of the circumstances which shaped the views and opinions of others. 

This point was emphasized by Jo when she said, given a change of circumstances, she could have easily grown up to be a member of the IRA. She stressed that actions are determined by circumstances, not by any innate characteristics within us. It was only through knowing Pat, and the struggles and injustices he faced growing up in the Northern Ireland conflict, that she could understand how and why he turned to violence, and in turn why her father lost his life. 

Pat and Jo have traveled to many countries to share their story, but this was their first visit to Israel and Palestine.

“Everybody wants peace, every conversation we’ve had here has been about that,” Pat observed. “There’s a solution already there, it’s just creating the conditions for people to come around the table and thrash it out. There’s so much fear. Fear drives people to apathy and drives people to extremes.”

Some students present in Haifa found the idea of Pat's and Jo’s reconciliation incomprehensible, even wrong, though many others wanted to better understand. As such, some frank exchanges between the students and the speakers took place.

Pat was also keen to emphasize that one must not lose hope.

“There’s a list of seemingly endless problems, no solutions in sight, and then this miracle happens,” Pat said after a question about seemingly intractable conflicts.

The students asked Pat and Jo a variety of questions, ranging from how their families received the partnership, to how their experiences and what they have learned could be applied to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In response, the message was clear, in that it emphasized the need to be open, patient, and to empathize – to imagine one’s self in the place of the other.

Jo also had some practical advice to end on: “I recommend you get involved with OneVoice, they do fantastic work.”

***

Pat and Jo with OVP activists in Ramallah.

The next day, OneVoice Palestine youth leaders met with Pat and Jo in Ramallah.

Pat and Jo had a chance to discuss the conflict, occupation, and suffering, as well as see the impact of the settlements and separation wall. They shared their stories with youth leaders in an event OVP’s activists described as “inspiring” and “a powerful example of reconciliation.”

Within the duration of this visit, Jo spoke of her commitment to peaceful resolution, mediation of conflict, and about Building Bridges for Peace. She was inspired by the youth leaders’ work in the West Bank and Gaza and their commitment to non-violent activism. Pat spoke about his journey, his 14 years in prison, and Jo’s efforts for achieving reconciliation with him.

OVP youth leaders shared observations about the need for justice, an end to the occupation, and solving all final status issues in line with international resolutions as pre-requisites to real reconciliation with Israel in a meaningful sense.

The youth leaders listened intently to Pat’s story, and then explained how there is another internal reconciliation that Palestinians are concerned about: the schism between the West Bank and Gaza, and how important healing this divide will be in order to achieve a sustainable peace agreement with the Israelis that will end the occupation, build the Palestinian state, and bring peace to the region.

Over the course of two hours, Pat and Jo shared with the youth leaders the concept of creating a legitimate partnership in times of conflict. They also answered questions by the youth on peace building and the obstacles generated by mistrust and frustration on both sides of the conflict.

“I can only imagine their journey for reconciliation,” said OVP activist and Project Manager Malaka Samara. “In times of conflict, it is important to hear the other side and give an opportunity to create a legitimate partner to end the conflict for the benefits of both sides.”

London panel debates leadership and legacy of Shimon Peres

Panellists debate the legacy of President Shimon Peres: (L-R) Dr. Ghada Karmi, John Lyndon, Richard Symons, and Paul Charney.

By Anthony Silkoff

Boring?  A father figure?  An over-achiever?  A failure? Conflicted?  These were the varied descriptions of Israel’s President, Shimon Peres, which an audience of activists, students, Israelis, Palestinians, and others at Kings College, London, heard on January 30.

OneVoice Europe hosted a panel discussion on leadership in the aftermath of the Israeli election. Following a screening of the acclaimed documentary, The Price of Kings: Shimon Peres, a panel of speakers offered their take on Peres as a leader and the legacy he will leave in Israel and Palestine.

There was inevitably much disagreement on the panel, with different points of view represented by Paul Charney (Chair, Zionist Federation), Dr. Ghada Karmi (Palestinian activist and academic), John Lyndon (Executive Director, OneVoice Europe), and Richard Symons (Co-Director, The Price of Kings).

There was as much criticism as there was praise for Shimon Peres, which was unsurprising for a such a long-serving political figure. 

Dr. Karmi was forthright in her view, saying she found him “to be so boring in that movie” asking “what has he achieved?” and suggesting she would find a film about assassinated Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin far more interesting. 

Paul Charney found much more to be positive about, observing that “Peres was instrumental in the pulling out of Lebanon and a key figure in the Oslo accords.”  Watching both the film and the debate, I was simply struck by the sheer, undeniable, expanse of his experience, having spent decades at the frontline of Israeli politics.

However, what is also hard to deny, is that all political leaders so far have failed in their attempts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  The occupation remains; Palestinians and Israelis both live in fear and insecurity; neither side lives in peace. So given the gravity of this situation, there is little point drawing up a ranking of the “best” and “worst” politicians of each side.  Rather, we need to support a new generation of leaders who are courageous enough to make a two-state solution become reality.

The young Israelis and Palestinians at the forefront of OneVoice’s grassroots campaigns continue to make me immensely proud to be part of this Movement. I often hear people quote Gandhi – “be the change” - our young activists are doing, not quoting; leading, not following.

In the past six months alone, OneVoice Israel activists compelled their fellow citizens to “Wake up!” to the reality of politicians who want to damage the two-state solution.  OneVoice Palestine activists went out across the West Bank, planting trees for a new forest and demanding an end to settlement expansion.

Summing up proceedings, OneVoice Europe Executive Director John Lyndon made just that point, explaining out that there are many different ways to lead.

“Peres represents a totemic figure in Israeli political life,” Lyndon said. “But across the Middle East, young people are taking the initiative themselves, and pressing the case for change. Whether it’s the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who took to the streets for social justice or the millions across the Arab world who have demanded democracy and justice, it is clear that new dynamics are emerging, with youth at the fore.”

So yes, leaders of all countries have failed to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace, but hope is not lost when a new generation is so clearly putting its foot down.  No more excuses.  Two states, now.  As internationals, let’s make sure we support them every step of the way.

OneVoice will be screening the second film in The Price of Kings series, examining the life and leadership of Yasser Arafat, on the February 27 in London. Please email [email protected] for more details.  

 

Mohammad al-Qadi participates at Bab al-Shams initiative in E-1 Area

Last weekend, nearly 200 Palestinian activists pitched tents on the stony territory between East Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, known as E-1. Acting in non-violent protest to Israel’s plans to construct thousands of settlement homes in this narrow corridor, these activists announced the establishment of a village named “Bab al-Shams,” or “Gateway to the Sun.”

E-1 is a critical strip of land that American and European officials have told the Israelis is a red line, which – if crossed – makes two states almost impossible. “This is not just another few houses in Jerusalem or another hilltop in the West Bank,” Daniel C. Kurtzer, a former American ambassador to Israel asserted. “The United States has been adamant for many years, including in the Bush Administration, that Israel not build in E-1.”

OneVoice Palestine (OVP) youth leader Mohammad al-Qadi was amongst those activists who pitched the first tents, non-violently registering his commitment to two states and to the preservation of determination, hope, and belief that it can be achieved.

Speaking to OneVoice staff afterward, Mohammad said, “I went to Bab al-Shams for the same reason that I volunteer for OneVoice: my determination to see a two-state solution. I want to play my role in building the Palestinian state.”

Israeli soldiers forcibly removed the activists some 72 hours after the first tent was pitched.

VICE Magazine interviewed Mohammad following the eviction. Below is an excerpt - you can read the whole piece and see a video report here.

VICE: What happened last night?

Mohammad al-Qadi: It was 3AM and most of the villagers were sleeping, when more than 500 police and soldiers entered the village and called for all the villagers to come out of the tents and lie on the ground. Then they started to attack us, before arresting us, putting us in a truck, taking our ID and dropping us off at a checkpoint near Ramallah at 5:30AM. Six of the activists were injured after being beaten by soldiers, so they were taken to hospital.

It sounds like the eviction was relatively peaceful and over quite quickly – didn’t anyone put up a fight? 

Palestinians don’t want to lose anyone else. We are human. We're not numbers, we are names. We are people and we care about life. I don’t want to lose any more friends, I want to protect the land and live in a Palestinian state – something we'll achieve through peaceful action. Unlike the Israelis, we didn’t have any weapons last night. Why did Netanyahu send hundreds of men with guns to a village of unarmed men and women?

How long did you expect to stay at Bab al-Shams?

We'd prepared ourselves to stay for a long time. We want to belong to this land. It’s not a joke, it’s not a “camp”. We wanted to start building a new village to say to the Israeli government: "We oppose your plans. If you build on that land, there is no hope for peace between Israelis and Palestinians."

So what’s next? Will you return to Bab al-Shams? Set up new villages? 

We aren't finished. In two days, we’ll have a meeting with everyone involved and decide what we want to do next. We will continue to protest and to create villages in the areas that the Israelis want to build. We’ll never stop.

Portraits of Palestine: OVP Promotes Peaceful Mobilization in Bethlehem

“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 194^th 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:

   

Abbas’s Words of Courage, falling on deaf ears, or worse, being undermined by Israelis that unwittingly strengthen his rivals

A message from Daniel Lubetzky, co-founder and president, OneVoice Movement

So many in the Israeli and American Jewish community say that Palestinians take no steps to build trust or recognize that they are committed to live in peace with Israel.  But Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has for over a decade consistently been courageous about the need for reaching a two-state solution through non-violent means, to the point that other Palestinians often criticize him for his conciliatory tone and policies that have not been reciprocated by the present Israeli government. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and perhaps worst of all, Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya’alon, keep marginalizing Abbas and giving him no room to operate. 

And yet the Israeli administration has continued to unwittingly (or some fear, intentionally, so as to discredit the existence of moderate Palestinian partners to negotiate with) strengthen Hamas’s credibility – most recently with the Gaza war that ended with Israeli concessions that Hamas is trumpeting as a victory over the Zionists.  Sadly, over the last couple of months the Israeli government has turned Hamas into an extremely popular party not just in Gaza, but even in the West Bank, and even among Christian parties.  Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank increasingly feel that the Hamas way of violent resistance is the only way Israelis will react and they credit Hamas with numerous (often imagined) victories, while seeing Abbas as increasingly ineffective and irrelevant because the Israeli government ignores his overtures.

It wasn’t like this just a few weeks ago! 

The present Israeli administration continues to try to weaken Palestinian moderates and destroy any legitimacy or credibility they may have left.  Last week, Ya’alon said, “What stands out from this event is the irrelevance of Abbas.  He's only relevant for declarations and for unilateral steps to seek recognition at the U.N.”  So what does Ya’alon want? For Abbas to use force so that he will listen?!  Didn’t we ask Palestinians to use diplomatic means? Which is it? Do we want the Palestinian leadership to use reason as Abbas does, or force as Hamas does?

It takes enormous courage for him to be direct about all these issues. Saying it on Israeli television takes even more courage.

"Palestine for me is the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital, this is Palestine, I am a refugee, I live in Ramallah, the West Bank and Gaza is Palestine, everything else is Israel,” Abbas said in an interview on Israel's Channel 2.

And yet, Netanyahu’s response that same day was to announce more settlement building.

It is fascinatingly depressing to see how extremists help one another become more popular.  It is almost as if there is an unholy alliance between the Israeli and Palestinian absolutists, reinforcing each other’s visions, and destroying the moderate camps on both sides. How long will the voices of moderation stay silent and watch their lives be hijacked?

OneVoice Europe’s Outreach and Education tour brings new insights to historic places

OVI youth leader Leeba Gilad, center, explains the importance of women's roles in peacemaking to the Bristol Women's Interfaith Network community event on October 17.

London, October 26, 2012 – Stonehenge. Roman baths. Ancient castles. The Southwest of England is known for historical sites and beautiful vistas, but from October 18-24, this region of England was also known to host discussions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the importance of the two-state solution.

OneVoice Palestine’s Malaka Samara and OneVoice Israel’s Leeba Gilad engaged nearly 400 audience members in OneVoice Europe’s first Outreach and Education Program (O&E) of the academic year.

This was the first foray into the southwest of the country, with a focus on schools, universities, and community groups in Exeter, Taunton, and Bristol. Somerset and London were also stops on the five-day tour.

Both Malaka and Leeba focused their message on encouraging people to be pro-solution and pro-justice, rather than supporting one side over the other.

“I…learned that we must continue our work,” Leeba said of the tour as a whole, “because a lot of people care about this region.”

Four school sessions dotted the week in the southwest, reaching 230 students between the ages of 14 and 18. The students left the programs impressed and mindful of what they knew about the conflict before, and what insights Malaka and Leeba gave them after the sessions ended.

“We felt there has to be two states if the needs of both Israelis and Palestinians are to be met,” said one student at Exeter School after group discussions. "I hadn’t thought about conflict in this way before.”

Reaching young people with conflict resolution tools and equipping them with the awareness of an issue like Israel-Palestine before they go on to university is a central part of O&E, according to Sharon Alsoodani, director of the program.

At Taunton, a town home to a number of old, established religious sites, the youth leaders met with members of Temple Methodist Church. Over 50 people came out on a rainy evening to discuss with Malaka and Leeba about making a breakthrough for peace, leaving the parishioners “full of hope” and with “a way that British people can truly support ordinary Israelis and Palestinians.”

Next on the tour was the City of Bristol, which provided the backdrop to a number of interreligious assemblies during the O&E tour. In particular, a women’s interfaith event proved to be very diverse and fruitful, sparking a partnership with Salaam-Shalom Radio, Bristol Women’s Network, and Bristol Multi-faith Forum.

Malaka emphasised the efforts of OneVoice in small towns like Qalqilia in the West Bank to empower women and get them more involved in political life.

“Women’s role as mothers means that they have a unique perspective to bring to the discussion about the peace process,” she said.

Two student events at Bristol University and a session about peace activism at the Quakers’ ‘Called to be a Peacemaker’ conference in London rounded out the tour, bringing total participation in the tour to nearly 400 people.

Throughout the week, Malaka and Leeba shared the same vision and goal to break the status-quo in both their societies. They called for a settlement freeze and ending all claims after solving all final status issues according to international resolutions, along with a cessation of the occupation and an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.

“The youth leaders demonstrated what can be achieved when those with opposing perspectives on a situation unite behind a future that can fulfil the core needs and aspirations of all those involved through non-violent means,” Sharon concluded.

Malaka Samara, of OVP, emphasizes to students at the Kings College School in Taunton the importance of understanding Palestinians' interests when seeking a solution.

Take a look at this short video of Leeba, Malaka, and O&E Director Sharon Alsoodani at Temple Methodist Church in Taunton.

 

 

In Gaza, putting Palestine back on the map

OVP/Gaza's first volunteer group after completing a seminar on establishing and working within a team.

New York, October 24, 2012—Roughly two dozen twentysomethings, split evenly between men and women, gathered earlier this month at the Adam Center for Dialogue of Civilizations in Gaza City's Al-Rimal neighborhood for OneVoice Palestine's leadership development pilot program in Gaza.

The nondescript conference room in Al-Johara Tower was buzzing with chatter. The participants, handpicked by OneVoice's Gaza Director Ezzeldin Masri, differed in background, education, and politics, but shared a belief in the two-state solution. In coordination with the Adam Center, and other local civil society organizations such as Save Youth Future, OneVoice Palestine planned an intensive 36-hour training program in leadership skills and teamwork.

"Over the next couple of weeks, we're hoping to solidify these participants into the first OneVoice volunteer group in Gaza," said Masri enthusiastically. "Then, we'll support them in designing and implementing initiatives across Gaza." Their focus will be on ending the internal division in order to present a united front in negotiations with Israel.

"We cannot have 20 factions each trying to impose their vision on the people," explained Masri. "We need national consensus on how to end the occupation and the conflict, and the only pragmatic solution is the two-state solution. We must come to terms with Israel to put Palestine back on the map."

Imad al-Falouji, head of the Adam Center, joined Masri for the introductory session to the trainings, spoke about pursuing a non-violent political course to achieve an independent Palestinian state, based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and answered questions about the Fatah-Hamas split and the power of the grassroots to effect positive change. The participants, many of them university graduates without job prospects in Gaza's crippled economy, agreed to start the program on October 11, eager to make an impact in their communities. 

Since reopening the Gaza office in late 2011, Masri led 15 informal sessions about OneVoice's mission and work, reaching a total of 350 young people. "My goal throughout," he said, "was to train young Palestinians to become moderate political leaders supportive of ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on a negotiated two-state solution."

While the challenges of operating under a government opposed to the two-state solution remained, successfully recruiting a core group of participants meant Masri had overcome a major hurdle. It left him confident that there was indeed space for OneVoice Palestine to operate in Gaza and as he stated, "move forward."

Mohammad Asideh wins the Generations For Peace Samsung Award for Impact

Mohammad Asideh (right) receives his award from HRH Prince Feisal Al-Hussein, Founder and Chairman of GFP.

New York, October 18, 2012 – OneVoice is proud to congratulate Mohammad Asideh, senior Youth Leader and staff member at OneVoice Palestine (OVP), for receiving the Generations For Peace Samsung Award for Impact. HRH Prince Feisal Al-Hussein of Jordan, Founder and Chairman of GFP, was on hand to personally honor Mohammad for his dedication and hard work at the October 13th gala. 

Mohammad was singled out for “his own personal journey of change with Generations For Peace [and his] extraordinary impact, training 300 leaders of youth and involving more than 3,500 children in five cities in the West Bank,” according to GFP.

Arabic-language news site alwatanvoice.com notes Mohammad “honored the efforts of the Palestinian youth for standing against the occupation while building their independent state at peace with its neighbors, regardless of the political, economic, and social challenges.” 

Mohammad’s commitment to youth mobilization and outreach in the West Bank as an OVP leader and a GFP volunteer is a testament to his strong, nationalistic commitment and drive to better his community and build a brighter future for the people of Palestine. Mohammad’s devotion is as an example for all of us and a reminder of what true leadership is all about.

Hear what Mohammad had to say. Video by Generations For Peace.

To read more about Mohammad and his work with OVP and GFP, take a look at the links below:

Mohammad Asideh Gets Practical to Build for the Future

OneVoice trainees of Generations For Peace spark community action

Sport: The Missing Link to Conflict Resolution

IEP Spotlight: Mohammad Asideh devotes civic service to Palestine's future generations

 

It's not Fayyad, stupid!

By Samer Makhlouf*

When popular social protests erupted across the occupied West Bank this September, I was thrilled to see the masses take to the streets, drawing attention to skyrocketing prices for basic goods and demanding social justice. Such popular will in action seemed absent for some time in Palestine. For a moment, I thought to myself, maybe something new was lurking on the horizon and radiating hope for change.

That fleeting moment disappeared with the smoke of the burning tires, when it became apparent the youth at the forefront of the protests were mere pawns, aimed at targeting Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. As if the blame for our dire circumstance and suffering could be laid squarely on his shoulders, or that his simple resignation would bring forth our salvation.     

The hardships we as Palestinians endure are real. With high fuel prices, unpaid salaries and spiraling costs of living, it's become nearly impossible for us to lead normal lives. The popular protests should be about a rejection of the status quo, a natural reaction against the bitter reality on the ground, and a demand for a better life after so many years of hardship.

Sadly, elements within Palestinian society subverted the spirit of these protests as part of their personal vendetta against Fayyad. With chants blaming official policies for the current economic woes, politicians and news media alike lined up to demand the dismissal of Fayyad's government. All of them seemed to turn a blind eye to the problems festering ever since the signing of the Oslo Accords; problems made  worse by the Paris Protocol on Economic Relations, and other similar agreements.

Worse yet, the manipulation of these young protestors only served to obfuscate the principal cause behind their suffering: Israel's tight control over Palestinian land. Haaretz journalist Amira Hass said it best: "It's the occupation, stupid!"

All of us are affected by Israel's continued military presence, day in and day out. The opportunity here, as we stand at a historical crossroads, lies in clearly stating that the status quo, the occupation, and interim agreements that do not address the underlying problems are all unsustainable.

The Palestinian leadership, headed by President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad, has the opportunity to be proactive and even provocative, ensuring that the cost of the occupation is not taken for granted. One option that is being much discussed is the cancellation of the 1994 Paris Protocol. While I'm not an economic expert, this would, at the very least, create ripples in the stagnant political waters. But I would go further and suggest that these ripples should be used to end the occupation, not just ease its hardship, with Paris being superseded by a comprehensive move towards final status negotiations. We must not replace one interim agreement with another.

I call on the key players in the international level (US, EU, Arab countries and the UN) to recognise that Oslo and its annexes have run their course, and come together and guarantee one year of serious negotiations with clear terms of reference to sign a just and comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and Palestine in a way that deals not only with the economic issues but all final status issues in accordance with international resolutions. Oslo was intended to lead to statehood and peace, and that is the route that we must put this process back upon.

The current agreement grants Israel the right to collect taxes from Palestinians in the West Bank on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, which it often withholds as a punitive measure. It also gives Israel control over the supply of all utilities and restricts value added tax and fuel prices to comparable rates paid by Israeli consumers despite the vast difference in living standards.   

Palestinian leaders will have to enact extreme economic measures, which will likely be met by Israeli counter measures, including the disruption of fuel supplies in the occupied Palestinian territories. In turn, I hope such actions ignite the people to mobilize against the true impediment posed by the occupation toward realizing our national aspirations, right to self-determination, and independence through a two-state solution.

Enough with attacks on Fayyad, as though the situation was better before him or will improve after him.

What I'd like to see is our youth peacefully blocking roads that lead to Israeli settlements, the expansion of which continues to create negative facts on the ground. I'd like to hear their chants against stalled peace talks. Our politicians, whatever their leaning, must call for and support a peaceful popular movement that seeks to permanently resolve the conflict as the first step toward addressing our economic, social, and other internal crises.

*Samer Makhlouf is executive director of OneVoice Palestine.

Adva Vilchinski talks about time on New England tour

Youth Leadership Program Director Adva Vilchinski during the New England tour in September.

New York, September 27, 2012 – The International Engagement Program (IEP) just concluded the first tour of this academic year. From Sept. 10-13, over 800 individuals throughout New England engaged with OneVoice youth activists, listening to their memorable experiences working on the ground and heeding the call for Americans to help them achieve a viable two-state solution.

Youth Leadership Program Director Adva Vilchinski of OneVoice Israel was one of these activists. We talked to Adva on her way back home about her time on tour.

OneVoice: From start to finish, how do you think this tour went?

Adva: It was great. People were very interested in what we had to say and the audience members were eager to act and sign the petition. We also had many different, diverse audiences, which was a great part of the tour…we talked with little children and older people, and that is very important for spreading OneVoice’s message.

OneVoice: Why is the International Engagement Program important to the mission of Israelis and Palestinians seeking a viable two-state solution? And why is it important to Americans?

Adva: IEP is another way to get the word out and a way that people worldwide can pressure their leaders because they, too, are important actors. It is important to Americans because if they can put enough pressure on their leaders, it will be on the president’s agenda and then he could compel our leaders into acting. And it is important for Americans to know about the region, to know that their money isn’t wasted.

OneVoice: What were the most commonly asked questions? Were there any that particularly challenged you? How do you approach questions like these?

Adva: Many asked why Israelis appear less concerned about the Palestinians than they are with Iran, while others wondered why our programs are parallels and not combined. I thought [the latter] was a very important question, and the answer is we are parallel to show that we are partners in this effort for a two-state solution [while working in our communities]. The hardest questions were from the children – for instance, some asked, “Why is there a conflict?” Those really made me think because children keep it simple. In the end, we’re not doing a blame game, we’re trying to solve it.

OneVoice: What experiences resonated with your audiences and why do you think this happened?

Adva: We shared much of our work with the participants and by far the ones that interested them the most were the creative campaigns. For instance, we partnered with the #J14 Movement and created an ice wall to show how settlement expansion and the freeze in negotiations affects Israel’s economy, and audiences really liked it. I believe they enjoyed such campaigns because of this creativity.