OneVoice Movement

OVI Ballot Campaign: a Q&A with Ori Ben-Ner

With Israeli election campaigns winding down before the January 22 vote, OneVoice Israel just wrapped up its own non-partisan election campaign. Traveling around the country was a ballot – not to elect a politician – but to vote on what everyday Israelis believe to be the top issues. 

Youth leader and OVI’s coordinator for the region of central Israel, Ori Ben-Ner, talked about his experience at OneVoice, the ballot campaign, and what the elections mean for Israel’s future. 

OneVoice: Why did you join the Movement? 

Ori: I joined OneVoice for two reasons. First, I believe that this conflict is the main and most urgent problem that Israel is dealing with and that we need to solve it ASAP. The second reason is more personal – I don’t think that I can continue living in Israel, morally speaking. The conflict leaves me with no other choice because I like my home and country and wish to build my life here. The work at OneVoice gives me hope. 

OV: Why did you want to get involved in the ballot campaign? 

Ori: The main reason that I wanted to get involved in this specific campaign is its basic idea. This campaign symbolizes my main beliefs on the subject of the conflict: you simply can't maintain an ongoing and harmful conflict while expecting the economy to flourish and the citizens to feel secure. 

OV: What cities or campuses were you located, and what did you say to people as they approached the ballot?

Ori: We did this campaign at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan and at Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya. We also put up the ballot at bars in Herzliya and again in Tel Aviv University and in crowded streets and markets in Tel Aviv, while other activists did the same in numerous towns and campuses across the country.  I mainly asked people about the issue that most concerns them in the upcoming elections. About 90 percent of the people answered something that fits one of our voting slips. After they voted for their issue, we explained why it has to do with the two-state solution and we give them a flyer that explains it as well. 

OV: What were the reactions of these people, and were there any confrontations or good discussions? Did they see the connection between the issues and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict right away? 

Ori: I think that the biggest advantage of this campaign is the fact that it is a great platform for discussion. Most people actually stayed listened to us, and read the information we gave them. I believe that it has to do with the fun and active platform with which we approached them. We had some great discussions at Bar-Ilan, a university with a large percentage of religious/right-wing voters. After they voted, we confronted them with our information and about the settlements, conflict, and occupation. Obviously, there were many students that started to argue or shout, but some religious and right wing students actually stayed for long discussions and were very open to hearing our views.  Regarding the connection between the issues and conflict, it definitely takes some convincing. Many people are aware of the connection, but most citizens here need some explanation. 

OV: What is the general feeling in Israeli society toward the elections?

Ori: I believe that people are mostly apathetic to the upcoming elections. Most people feel that the politicians aren’t dealing with their basic and daily problems. I believe that the politicians are trying to back away from the two-state solution because they feel that they can lose voters by promoting it. This is exactly what our campaign deals with. I do believe that any day that passes without negotiations and efforts to end the conflict brings us closer to deeper stagnation, violent acts and uprisings, and a dysfunctional future.

AP: Voter turnout push could challenge Israeli leader

By Amy Teibel, Associated Press, January 13, 2013

JERUSALEM (AP) — With large numbers of Israelis expected to sit out next week's election, centrist activists have launched a last-ditch appeal to get out the vote, hoping to defy what appears to be a guaranteed victory for a hard-line bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This grassroots effort could be the moderate camp's only chance. Moderate, secular voters tend to turn out in smaller numbers than ideologically motivated hard-liners. Reversing this trend, experts say, is the surest way to take on the government's handling of major issues like stalled peacemaking with the Palestinians, Iran's nuclear program and a troubled economy.

Polls published in Israeli newspapers over the weekend projected Netanyahu and his traditional right-wing and religious allies winning between 64 and 71 seats, enough to secure a majority in the 120-member parliament, compared to 49 to 56 for centrist and Arab parties.

Pollster Camil Fuchs says those numbers reflect current trends. "But a four to five percentage point change in turnout could change things," he said.

The get-out-the vote campaigners, including television personalities and local celebrities, present their efforts as non-partisan, but many are perceived to be aligned with Netanyahu's opponents.

Netanyahu's opponents say the stakes are especially high in the current election. Critics point to the deadlock in peace efforts with the Palestinians, his repeated run-ins with President Barack Obama and Iran's suspect nuclear program. Without a strong alliance with the U.S., they say, it would be difficult to halt the Iranians or rally international support for Israel's positions toward the Palestinians.

Netanyahu's Likud Party has fielded an especially hawkish slate of candidates who reject concessions to the Palestinians. The rise of "Jewish Home," a pro-settler party that could play a major role in the next coalition government, could further affect peace efforts. Jewish Home's leader, Naftali Bennett, and many inside Likud have advocated annexing parts of the West Bank.

Reflecting his hawkish line Monday, Netanyahu told Israel's Channel 2 TV that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas does not want to negotiate. "We don't have to say that we don't have a future here because Abu Mazen doesn't want to negotiate with us," Netanyahu said, referring to Abbas by his nickname. Abbas blames Israel for a four-year stalemate in peace talks.

The Palestinians claim all of the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, for their hoped-for state. Israeli moderates warn that Israel's continued control of these territories and their millions of Palestinian residents threaten Israel's status as a Jewish democracy.

Despite the pressing issues, turnout in recent elections has been just over 60 percent. Fuchs said turnout among supporters of Netanyahu and his allies is generally higher than among the rest of the population.

According to pollsters, turnout is especially low among several key groups — political moderates, people under 30 and Israeli Arabs. These constituencies all tend to favor Netanyahu's opponents.

Political parties are conducting classic get-out-the-vote campaigns, with automated phone calls, parlor meetings, transportation to polling stations and specific appeals to groups, like women and young voters.

Other groups not directly affiliated with specific parties are also getting out the message.

Click to read the rest of the article.

OneVoice Israel targets ballot issues in Israeli election campaign

OVI youth leaders and students at the ballot stop at Bar-Ilan University on Dec. 26, 2012.

With elections to Israel’s Knesset slated for January 22, one cannot help but notice the political buzz around the country.  According to some, these elections are counted as the most important in the state’s history, with sharp divisions between many of the candidates and parties on what is the best way forward for Israel at this critical juncture.

Domestic, foreign, social, and cultural issues are on the minds of candidates and voters alike. Not knowing why to vote and what issues are most pressing can greatly influence the outcome of the election and the future of the state.

Luckily for voters, OneVoice Israel (OVI) is setting the record straight. Since the end of December, OVI’s “traveling ballot” campaign made stops at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan (Dec. 25-26), Sapir College in Sderot (Dec. 26), IDC-Herzliya (Dec. 30-31 and Jan.8), Hebrew University and Jerusalem (Jan. 2, 4, and 7-9), and many other cities and campuses.

The campaign is an effort to talk about the current issues and educate students and community members about what can help mitigate Israel’s problems. The message behind the campaign is simple – every issue, be it security, socio-economic, the national character of Israel, and others – is tied to the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Ever since the forefathers of the state declared independence in 1948, the issue of peace was on the agenda,” said Tal Harris, executive director of OVI. “For the first time it seems that the elections are about a lot of other issues – social justice, security, and others. Peace is left out of the agenda for most parties.”

“In a context in which more than 70 percent of the Israeli public accepts a territorial compromise of Two States for Two Peoples, but is equally skeptical about the prospects to achieve it, the disastrous effects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be easily ignored,” he continued. “That is why our youth leaders are now campaigning to remind people about how the conflict impedes, for example, our economy, and to mobilize Israeli citizens to vote with the two-state solution in mind.”

At each stop, the ballot becomes a focal point in city centers and campuses, allowing citizens to vote for what they believe is the most important issue on the agenda. To date, hundreds of people cast OVI’s ballots. More stops are on the schedule, including Haifa University, Jerusalem Market, and Tel Aviv’s Nahalat Bynyamin street market.

“The people that came up to my ballot box in Beit Berl were very interested and happy that we were doing this – many gave us their contact information,” said Adva Vilchinski, director of OVI’s youth leadership program. “They understood that the only way to promote whatever he or she voted for is by promoting the two-state solution.”

Town hall meetings across the country, set up and led by OVI activists, are also conveying the same message from the people directly to the candidates for the 19^th Knesset. Over 500 citizens engaged in these events, from Tel Hai in the very north, through the metropolitan area of Tel Aviv, and down to the south.

“Our events in cities like Beer-Sheva and Sderot in the south are of particular importance,” adds Tal. “These towns were impacted directly and most severely by the conflict. Our activists there bring people the news of a partner that seeks peace and rejects violence, and that is a crucial piece of truth for them to carry in mind when voting on January 22.”

Want to see more? Check out OneVoice Israel’s Facebook page, which facilitates a challenging discussion over the future of Israel and sends out messages about the importance of voting for the two-state solution.

Tomorrow’s U.S. presidential election provides opportunity to take responsibility

New York, November 5, 2012–There is no greater privilege in a democracy than choosing one’s leaders. It is an opportunity for all of us as individuals to play our part in the political process. Tomorrow’s U.S. elections are fundamentally about our rights and our responsibilities as citizens. 

We are a Movement committed to empowering every individual to take action and create the necessary change to achieve a two-state solution. Our Israeli and Palestinian youth leaders work tirelessly to connect the grassroots with their leaders and begin to build a better future. For those of us in the international community who are passionate about ending the conflict, we must seize every opportunity to tell our leaders to prioritize Middle East peace and the two-state solution. 

The OneVoice Movement encourages our supporters to do the following:

1) If you are American, make sure you vote tomorrow! Each voice is important and plays a role in shaping the future!

2) Raise your voice and share your opinion about the issues that you are passionate about. Sign our petition, telling President Obama and Governor Romney to prioritize the two-state solution and a return to serious negotiations, and leave a comment telling us why this is so urgent.

3) Share the petition on your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media pages, and tell your friends to do the same!

Darya Shaikh, acting CEO of OneVoice, recently wrote an op-ed about the importance of grassroots work in Israel and Palestine and the role Americans have in helping to change the status quo. See below for her commentary.

***

The Threat of the Unchanged Middle East

*By Darya Shaikh

On Monday night, millions of Americans sat down in front of their televisions and watched the two U.S. presidential candidates go head to head for the very last time before Election Day. President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney faced off on foreign policy issues ranging from Iran and Libya to Afghanistan and China.

They spoke at length about 'the changing Middle East' and the threat it poses to the world. Yet despite overtures about strong leadership and upholding principles of peace, both candidates seemed to forget that one of the biggest threats in the Middle East today actually stems from the lack of change, that being the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Aside from a fleeting reference to the conflict, which you may have missed, neither candidate laid out concrete steps that could help get the Israeli and Palestinian peace process back on track. Neither the President nor Governor Romney seem to think that delivering a comprehensive and just two-state solution to the conflict is a U.S. priority.

The current stalemate and toxic status quo endangers not only the futures of the Israeli and Palestinian people but should be a grave concern to all of us, as Americans. Ending the conflict is -- as successive presidents have consistently affirmed -- a vital American national interest. Middle East stability is jeopardized by the ongoing conflict, and this affects a broad swath of U.S. political priorities, placing national security and the recovering economy in danger.

The American leadership, whomever is at the helm, has to be accountable to the thousands of Israelis and Palestinians who are waging peace every day. As the conflict continues to be used as a political football, tossed around by both parties in order to gain votes, it consequently grows increasingly disconnected from the voices and interests of Israelis and Palestinians, who are calling for strong American leadership to push the parties to take the necessary steps that will enable a return to serious negotiations, ending the conflict once and for all and ensuring a better future for millions.

There is so much unknown about the changing landscape of the region. However, what we do know is that every day that goes by without a two-state solution makes it harder and harder to achieve. The American government has been the broker of negotiations for decades. As such, it retains a moral imperative to serve as an honest, unwavering mediator, despite the current diplomatic challenges, which deserve not be minimized.

Ending the occupation and achieving the two-state solution based on the 1967 lines, in accordance with international resolutions and previous bilateral agreements, is the only viable, mutually acceptable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is the only solution that fulfills the national aspirations of both peoples by establishing an independent Palestinian state at peace with the State of Israel. This is a policy of vital interest to Israelis and Palestinians, as well as to Americans. Unfortunately, as negative facts continue to grow on the ground, we are witnessing the rapidly growing distance between the reality of the present, and the ideal of peace.

As American citizens, we have a responsibility too. We have a role to play in making sure that we close this divide. We need to tell whoever is elected that achieving the two-state solution must be a foreign policy priority. An excellent way to do this is by signing the petition that the OneVoice Movement's American network initiated. OneVoice is grassroots undertaking working in parallel in Israel and Palestine to build political and grassroots civic capacity to bring both parties back to the table and ensure a viable, effective negotiations process with clear terms of reference and a limited timeframe that will fulfill the national aspirations of both peoples. This petition crystalizes that work and asks Americans to get behind it.

OneVoice's Israeli activists recognize their role and mobilize in a different city each week, bringing residents and local politicians together to promote the two-state solution and countering the agenda of expanding settlements in the West Bank by calling for a settlement freeze. OneVoice's Palestinian activists embrace their role by leading community initiatives to transform frustration and hopelessness through non-violent activism. OneVoice Palestine pushes for national reconciliation and a two-state solution that ends the occupation, resolves all final status issues based on international resolutions, establishes an independent Palestinian state, and ends all claims.

Through this petition in the U.S., we can amplify the calls of OneVoice Israel for a settlement freeze and of OneVoice Palestine for a final status agreement that ends all claims, demanding that the American leadership -- whether Republican or Democrat -- commits itself to pushing this process forward.

We cannot substitute political rhetoric for effective policy towards conflict resolution in Israel and Palestine. We must seize back this conversation today so that President Obama and Governor Romney know that the majority of Israelis, Palestinians and Americans will not settle for anything less than real American leadership toward a just and lasting peace.

*Darya Shaikh is acting CEO of the OneVoice Movement. Her blog was originally published on The Huffington Post: http://huff.to/SiDBKH.

 

The Threat of the Unchanged Middle East

*By Darya Shaikh

On Monday night, millions of Americans sat down in front of their televisions and watched the two U.S. presidential candidates go head to head for the very last time before Election Day. President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney faced off on foreign policy issues ranging from Iran and Libya to Afghanistan and China.

They spoke at length about 'the changing Middle East' and the threat it poses to the world. Yet despite overtures about strong leadership and upholding principles of peace, both candidates seemed to forget that one of the biggest threats in the Middle East today actually stems from the lack of change, that being the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Aside from a fleeting reference to the conflict, which you may have missed, neither candidate laid out concrete steps that could help get the Israeli and Palestinian peace process back on track. Neither the President nor Governor Romney seem to think that delivering a comprehensive and just two-state solution to the conflict is a U.S. priority.

The current stalemate and toxic status quo endangers not only the futures of the Israeli and Palestinian people but should be a grave concern to all of us, as Americans. Ending the conflict is -- as successive presidents have consistently affirmed -- a vital American national interest. Middle East stability is jeopardized by the ongoing conflict, and this affects a broad swath of U.S. political priorities, placing national security and the recovering economy in danger.

The American leadership, whomever is at the helm, has to be accountable to the thousands of Israelis and Palestinians who are waging peace every day. As the conflict continues to be used as a political football, tossed around by both parties in order to gain votes, it consequently grows increasingly disconnected from the voices and interests of Israelis and Palestinians, who are calling for strong American leadership to push the parties to take the necessary steps that will enable a return to serious negotiations, ending the conflict once and for all and ensuring a better future for millions.

There is so much unknown about the changing landscape of the region. However, what we do know is that every day that goes by without a two-state solution makes it harder and harder to achieve. The American government has been the broker of negotiations for decades. As such, it retains a moral imperative to serve as an honest, unwavering mediator, despite the current diplomatic challenges, which deserve not be minimized.

Ending the occupation and achieving the two-state solution based on the 1967 lines, in accordance with international resolutions and previous bilateral agreements, is the only viable, mutually acceptable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is the only solution that fulfills the national aspirations of both peoples by establishing an independent Palestinian state at peace with the State of Israel. This is a policy of vital interest to Israelis and Palestinians, as well as to Americans. Unfortunately, as negative facts continue to grow on the ground, we are witnessing the rapidly growing distance between the reality of the present, and the ideal of peace.

As American citizens, we have a responsibility too. We have a role to play in making sure that we close this divide. We need to tell whoever is elected that achieving the two-state solution must be a foreign policy priority. An excellent way to do this is by signing the petition that the OneVoice Movement's American network initiated. OneVoice is grassroots undertaking working in parallel in Israel and Palestine to build political and grassroots civic capacity to bring both parties back to the table and ensure a viable, effective negotiations process with clear terms of reference and a limited timeframe that will fulfill the national aspirations of both peoples. This petition crystalizes that work and asks Americans to get behind it.

OneVoice's Israeli activists recognize their role and mobilize in a different city each week, bringing residents and local politicians together to promote the two-state solution and countering the agenda of expanding settlements in the West Bank by calling for a settlement freeze. OneVoice's Palestinian activists embrace their role by leading community initiatives to transform frustration and hopelessness through non-violent activism. OneVoice Palestine pushes for national reconciliation and a two-state solution that ends the occupation, resolves all final status issues based on international resolutions, establishes an independent Palestinian state, and ends all claims.

Through this petition in the U.S., we can amplify the calls of OneVoice Israel for a settlement freeze and of OneVoice Palestine for a final status agreement that ends all claims, demanding that the American leadership -- whether Republican or Democrat -- commits itself to pushing this process forward.

We cannot substitute political rhetoric for effective policy towards conflict resolution in Israel and Palestine. We must seize back this conversation today so that President Obama and Governor Romney know that the majority of Israelis, Palestinians and Americans will not settle for anything less than real American leadership toward a just and lasting peace.

*Darya Shaikh is acting CEO of the OneVoice Movement. Her blog was originally published on The Huffington Post: http://huff.to/SiDBKH.

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.

Ahmad Omeir reflects on New England tour

OneVoice Palestine's Ahmad Omeir during the New England IEP tour in September.

New York, September 27, 2012 – The International Engagement Program (IEP) wrapped up its first tour of the fall semester, visiting schools, houses of worship, and social justice groups throughout New England from September 10-13.

IEP Director Ahmad Omeir of OneVoice Palestine shared with over 800 participants his most memorable experiences working on the ground and called on Americans to help him achieve a viable two-state solution.

We recently spoke Ahmad over the phone and asked him about his tour.

OneVoice: What was your most memorable part of the tour?

Ahmad: I think the event at Eitz Chayim Synagogue was the most memorable for me because I knew going in that I would receive most of the questions, and I wanted to let them see a sense of hope from the Palestinian side. Many of the participants said this was an eye-opening experience and it allowed them to see a new face of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

OneVoice: What can average Americans do to help you on the ground?

Ahmad: There are two things Americans can do. First, have an open mind in how they see the conflict and not be biased based on what is in the media. Second, they need to realize that to answer their interests they need to see the conflict in a balanced way. Therefore, Americans need to urge their leadership to be balanced in its moderation of the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations; saying what needs to be said and taking the necessary steps that will permanently end the conflict.

OneVoice: Did this tour reinforce your belief in the two-state solution and how will it motivate you to continue your work?

Ahmad: There is a very high sense of skepticism and despair [surrounding the resolution of the conflict], and I have my own stories that reflect these feelings. But my experiences with the occupation push me and keep me going forward and I shared that with the audiences. For instance, as we spoke to the school-aged children, I noticed they were asking very good questions, which shows that on the educational level there is an important, positive step taken in regards to teaching them about the conflict. And in the end, this helps us on the ground.

OneVoice: What do audiences have to look forward to in the final tours of this academic semester?

Ahmad: They can expect to see more devoted youth leaders committed to ending the conflict. They will see it is a personal responsibility and comes out of a sense of urgency. I hope that the new audiences can see the two-state solution as in the international community’s interest to resolve ASAP.

IEP’s New England tour kicks-off U.S. election-themed semester, Part 2

Ahmad Omeir, center, of OneVoice Palestine, tells a student group about his work on the ground.

New York, September 25, 2012 – When Carl Hobert told a group of 50 students to stand if they’d ever lost a friend or family member to gun violence, nearly all of them stood.

Also standing were OneVoice staff members Israeli Adva Vilchinski and Palestinian Ahmad Omeir.

Hobert, of Axis of Hope Center for International Conflict Prevention, looked around at the students of Fenway High School. “Take how you relate,” Hobert told the students, “and build a bridge to how they relate.”

The time spent with Hobert and the students was just one of many impactful events of the International Engagement Program’s (IEP) New England tour. Over 200 people heard Adva’s and Ahmad’s message earlier in the week, and IEP continued to emphasize the parallel programs of their respective offices, as well as IEP’s “call to action” campaign, targeted at the next American president.

Day three of the tour saw the youth leaders at the Educating Global Citizens class at Boston University, the Harvard College Interfaith Council, and finally Tufts University’s J Street U group event.

“We have a common goal but we need to achieve it in different ways,” Adva said of OneVoice Israel and (OVI) and OneVoice Palestine (OVP) during the Tufts event. “What I see as the most important thing about our partnership is not that we need to do things together...but that we can separately do pragmatic things that will put more positive steps on the ground. I'm not trying to do dialogue. I'm trying to show there's a partner on both sides.”

The fourth and final day reached over 560 people, and included stops at Beaver Country Day School, Brandeis University, Brookline Workmen’s Circle, and the aforementioned Fenway High School. The dominant discussion was what Americans can do to help promote the two-state solution.

One comment from a Brandeis participant challenged American involvement in spearheading efforts to push parties to the table. IEP associate Shaina Low, in response to such criticism, reaffirmed America’s role in resolving the conflict.

“The American government has…a lot of influence,” Shaina said. “At OneVoice, we can say that all of our calls for the American public are coming directly from Israelis and Palestinians, who are in the majority of their societies. Maybe it’s not a vocal majority, maybe it’s a silent majority, but it is the majority.”

Ahmad jumped on this theme when he addressed the Workmen’s Circle later that day. “You [as Americans] do have a role,” he said. “Help the American leadership say what needs to be said, and to support Israelis and Palestinians with our work on the ground.”

IEP’s New England tour kicks-off U.S. election-themed semester, Part 1

Adva Vilchinski (far right) of OneVoice Israel explains to Middlebury College students her role in ending the conflict.

New York, September 25, 2012 – Professor Tamar Mayer believes that the world lives in the “seventh day” of the 1967 or Six-Day War, and will continue to unless something is done to change the dynamic.

“The majority of the population on each side [of the conflict] has been born into this unacceptable status quo,” said Mayer, director of the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs at Middlebury College. “And it is wholly appropriate that those who were born during the “seventh day” of the 1967 War lead [the change]. Our guests today fit this bill.”

Middlebury was just one of the many stops in the first tour of the International Engagement Program’s(IEP) fall semester. Staff members Adva Vilchinski of OneVoice Israel (OVI) and Ahmad Omeir of OneVoice Palestine (OVP) told over 800 New England participants – from schools to community members – that Americans can support their efforts on the ground while helping impact American foreign policy and help achieve Middle East peace.

From Sept. 10-13, Adva and Ahmad explained that Americans can play an important role in solving this conflict by participating in IEP’s “call to action,” which pressures the presidential candidates to put the conflict high on the agenda when one of them is elected.

The tour started with a visit to Middlebury and then Dartmouth College on the first day, followed by a Middle East Politics class at UMass-Lowell and a J Street event at Eitz Chayim Synagogue on day two.

“We believe at OneVoice Israel that solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not something which belongs to the left or right,” Adva said when asked about partisanship during the Dartmouth event. “It's something for all the people because ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is good for all Israelis no matter how you vote.”

Ahmad told audience members that the US has a continued role to play in reviving the two-state solution.

“When you try to work with change, and try to bring change into [Palestinian] society, it’s a long and difficult process,” said Ahmad. “You need to mobilize people. You’re shocking people out of their apathy, out of their despair and skepticism…by trying to show them that by creating positive facts, by getting them invested personally, that there is chance to actually achieve that solution. [And] what we need from the moderator [the US] is to be honest and neutral and help us have the right environment to move forward with the negotiations in a limited timeframe.”

Throughout the events, Adva offered her experiences in activist mobilization, outreach, and countering the pro-settlement expansion agenda, while Ahmad spoke about what a successful two-state solution needs: an end to the occupation and of all final status issues based on international resolutions, along with the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

Adva and Ahmad’s message was not lost on the days’ participants, but rather echoed and enhanced early and often.

Professor Mayer told the Middlebury audience that Adva, Ahmad, and their OneVoice peers “are engaged in peace and consensus-building efforts, working within their national communities to end the conflict.”

“They are committed to a two-state solution based on the June 4th, 1967 lines that will guarantee an end to the occupation,” she said. “They are Israeli and Palestinian activists who have dedicated themselves to working towards change and a better future for their societies.”