OneVoice Movement

OneVoice Facilitates Historic Political Meeting between President Abbas and Israeli officials

On Monday, a delegation of Israeli politicians from the Caucus for Ending the Israeli-Arab Conflict traveled to the Mukata, the Palestinian Authority’s headquarters in Ramallah, to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.  

OneVoice helped organize the meeting, which followed the successful July 31 visit, where Palestinian officials came to the Israeli parliament as a sign of good faith and support of the negotiations.
 
“The OneVoice Movement was honored to take part in the making of this unique and historic meeting at the Mukata,” said OneVoice Israel (OVI) Executive Director Tal Harris. “Each side’s commitment to engage in a meaningful dialogue highlights the reality that we are another step closer to making the dream of ending the conflict and the vision of the two-state solution a reality. As we move past this event, the OneVoice Movement will continue to leverage our regional grassroots networks to help mobilize civil society and amplify the voice of the moderate majority on both sides.”

“We are pleased to see the progress being made by the OneVoice Movement's Caucus for Ending the Israeli-Arab Conflict,” said OneVoice Palestine (OVP) Executive Director Samer Makhlouf. “Although headway is being made, both sides must recognize that there are still significant issues to be addressed, primarily the freezing of settlements activities. Our organization will continue to support the joint work of our government and civil society partners and work with OneVoice youth leaders to support the efforts of President Abbas and lead us on a substantive path toward a two-state solution.”

There was also a strong media contingent at the Mukata. Take a look at some of the coverage, including Reuters, Times of Israel, and JPost.

 
These diplomatic exchanges and trust building measures are extremely important, particularly during negotiations - and you can help us do more! 

Support OneVoice through the Skoll Crowdrise Challenge!
 
OneVoice is currently in the Top 10 organizations with over $7,500 raised so far! Right now, every donation will be matched, helping us unlock cash and in-kind prizes up to $1 million!

Your donation enables OneVoice Youth Leaders to rally essential support in their communities for the two-state solution. Through official and unofficial channels, and by leveraging our diverse networks, OneVoice is bringing the leaderships together to build political good will and demonstrate that there is a partner on the other side. 

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Palestinian and Israeli Flags Fly in Knesset During Historic Meeting

Abdallah Abdallah (with microphone, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and head of the Parliamentary Committee of Political Affairs), MK Bar, and MK Dr. Ronen Hoffman (Yesh Atid).

A historic meeting took place in Jerusalem yesterday…and OneVoice was part of it!
 
For the first time ever, Members of Knesset (MKs) met with Palestinian officials in the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem. Nearly one-third of the Knesset – 35 MKs – took part, along with several prominent Palestinian businessmen, politicians, and experts from academia, including members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and PLO members of the Civil Dialogue Committee. The Israeli and Palestinian flags were proudly displayed together on stage.
 
The event, organized by OneVoice Israel (OVI) in partnership with the Knesset’s Caucus for Ending the Israeli-Arab Conflict and the Negev Institute, is part of OVI's efforts to support a sustained and successful direct negotiation process during the coming months.
 
The Palestinian party met with Caucus Chair MK Hilik Bar, Israeli opposition chair MK Shelly Yechimovich, and MKs Yaakov Perry, Dr. Ronen Hoffman, Zehava Galon, Isawi Fri,Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, Meir Sheetrit, Afou Agbaria, Muhammad Baraka, Hana Sweid,Miki Rosenthal, and many others. Ministers Yael German and Amir Peretz, and Deputy Minister Mickey Levy participated, as well. 
 
International media picked up on the event. Click below for a sample of articles!
 
Sky News: Peace Talks: Palestinians Visit Israeli Knesset
The Daily Star: Palestinians visit Israel's parliament
The Times of Israel: In Knesset, an upbeat start for a shadow peace summit
Ynet News: Palestinian flag in Knesset: 'Abbas wants peace'
The Jerusalem Post: Palestinian flag out in honor as PA officials visit Knesset

This meeting follows Tuesday’s “Peace Tent” rally outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The event was led by former MK Yael Dayan, Israel Prize Winner David Harel, professors, and civil society leaders whom spoke to concerned citizens about why negotiations are essential.
 
OVI Executive Director Tal Harris, who addressed the event, said “this is a demonstration of the critical mass of both citizens and leaders that exists on both sides of the Green Line, and is committed to peace, security, and statehood for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. This is OneVoice’s role. We want to show the negotiators in Washington that they have our support to make the tough compromises necessary to reach a historic deal.”

Knesset Caucus Chair introduces bill for two-state solution

Months of hard work by OneVoice at the grassroots and political-elite levels have paved the way for a bold move in the Knesset.

Members of the Knesset (MKs), including Caucus for Ending the Israeli-Arab Conflict Chair MK Hilik Bar (Labor), submitted a bill yesterday that would, if adopted by a majority of the Knesset, for the first time in Israel’s history enshrine into law that it is the state’s policy to pursue a two-state solution, representing the true will of Israelis toward peace with their Palestinian neighbors.

Passage of the law would also signal to the international community that Israel is committed to a two-state solution, at a time when such an outcome is coming under threat.

WATCH: Israel’s Channel 2 News interview with MK Bar (Hebrew w/ English subtitles)

 

"The window of opportunity for a two-state peace agreement is shrinking; this bill is tantamount to giving a strong, new impetus to the government and the coalition to enter negotiations immediately, and promote the Two-State Solution,” MK Bar said in a press release Tuesday.

OneVoice Israel (OVI) Director Tal Harris echoed these sentiments: “We as citizens have a responsibility to ensure that the push for two states is top of the Knesset agenda. There is a majority out here on the streets who want it, and a majority in the Knesset who believe in it, too. It is OneVoice’s role to connect and energize these two constituencies, allowing each to strengthen the other.”

OneVoice, which supports a two-state solution that ends the occupation and conflict and is committed to the 1967 borders, was an integral founding partner of the Caucus for Ending the Israeli-Arab Conflict and the formation of the legislation. In support of the Caucus’ efforts, OVI launched a “Roundtable Peace Initiative” on June 23 to build support for the Caucus at the grassroots level. Nearly 2,000 people in 11 cities across Israel rallied to revive the Middle East peace process. Twenty leading Israeli peace organizations – including OVI – took part. A wide range of decision makers, issue experts, MKs, intellectuals, academics, former senior defense officials, and media attended. In Mattan Peretz’s eyes, the collaboration between the co-hosts and the engagement of the Israeli public made the event truly “unique.”

Highlights of the roundtable events are below.

There is no doubt that OneVoice’s grassroots work in Israel has found a foothold on the political level. But the backing of international supporters, too, will be vital to achieve a two-state solution and an end to the conflict.

Despite appearances, two-state solution makes headway in Israeli and British parliaments

Youth Leaders Ofek Arieli, left, and Maya Peretz, Jerusalem Regional Coordinator, collect Facebook "Wall" posts in Zion Square after the Caucus launch on May 20.

By Anthony Silkoff*

Back in February, I was in the lofty gallery of the House of Lords as members heaped praise on the activists of OneVoice Palestine and OneVoice Israel, who work tirelessly to revive a two-state solution. Three months later, I traveled to a very different parliament – the Israeli Knesset – to see OneVoice Israel doing just that. 

The Knesset is now in its 19^th session, and like most national parliaments, it has caucuses – or lobbies – made up of its members. Until OneVoice established a two-state solution caucus in the 18^th Knesset, there had never been one, and the largest caucus was advocating for "Greater Israel," pushing for the annexation of the West Bank. On May 20, OneVoice’s Caucus for Ending the Israeli-Arab Conflict launched, and this time it is the biggest caucus in the Knesset, demonstrating the growth of OneVoice’s parliamentary outreach and an increased support for two states in the Knesset.

The differences between the brash, modern Knesset, and the genteel, antique House of Lords couldn’t be starker, even from the outside. From certain angles, the concrete-pillared Knesset looks positively Soviet, while the neo-gothic spires of the Lords give it the whiff of a bygone era. 

On the inside, Knesset members have no time for the formal etiquette demonstrated by the House of Lords. Indeed, the heckling, name-calling, and general fracas of the Knesset got so bad a few years ago that incoming MKs were subject to a five-hour course on how to behave in the chamber.

So, as I joined 500 onlookers in a packed Knesset auditorium, there was plenty of cheering, booing, applause, and heckling at various points as MKs lined up one after the other to forcefully criticize their government’s response – or rather, lack of one – to the Arab Peace Initiative (API).  

Former police investigator Moshe Mizrahi, now a Labor MK, got the crowd cheering with his visionary statement that the API could, if seized, benefit the children of Israelis, and their children’s children. Zahava Galon (MK for Meretz) struck a chord too, as she told the audience that PM Benjamin Netanyahu was foolish for ignoring the API.

It wasn’t only MKs from the traditional ‘left’ who made this case. One of the most striking speeches of the day came from Yitzhak Cohen, of the ultra-orthodox Shas party. Cohen told those assembled that the API was good for Israel, and invoked an ancient Greek legend to compel Netanyahu to “turn every rock” to achieve peace.

However, booing followed the contribution of Ze’ev Elkin, who is not a member of OneVoice’s caucus, but the Deputy Foreign Minister. Elkin, of the Likud party, gave the government’s position and a list of excuses for why the API should be ignored, for example the “mentality of the Arabs.” The more he spoke, the more excuses poured out, the more he was heckled.

While booing and heckling don’t sound very polite, I believe they are – in Israel, at least – the sound of progress. Here in the UK, there is often talk of disconnect between voters (or non-voters) and the politicians who are supposed to represent them. In Israel, where there is no constituency system, this disconnect is even more obvious; there are few, if any, chances for citizens to hold their representatives to account. OneVoice Israel is bridging this gap with events like this, where the voters are able to question – and heckle, when necessary – their representatives. 

Back in Europe, the role of supporters of OneVoice should be to capitalize on this momentum. Finally, the two-state-willing majority of Israelis is represented in a strong Knesset lobby and the task now is to translate this will into real political action to end the conflict and end the occupation of Palestinian lands.

By uniting members of the Knesset with the Israeli grassroots, uniting Palestinian Authority members with the Palestinian grassroots – and uniting both with members of parliaments and publics across Europe – the call for two states will be even more powerful.

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

OneVoice Israel and MKs launch biggest caucus in Knesset

Deputy Foreign Minister Elkin (Likud-Beytenu), speaking, at the Caucus launch. Seated from right to left: Tal Harris (Executive Director of OVI), Israeli Peace Initiative co-founder Koby Huberman, Lord John Alderdice, Binyamin Ben Eliezer (Labor), Hilik Bar (Caucus Chair, Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, and General Secretary of the Labor Party), and Itzik Moshe (President of Georgia-Israel Chamber of Commerce). Photo by Hadas Grinvald.

Click here to read OneVoice Israel Executive Director Tal Harris’ op-ed in The Daily Beast

Representatives of OneVoice Israel (OVI) and members of the Israeli Knesset convened in Jerusalem yesterday to launch the largest caucus in the 19^th Knesset: the Caucus to Promote Resolution of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, which calls for two states now.

Forty (40) Members of the Knesset (MKs) joined the Caucus, representing the Israeli political spectrum – drawn from both the governing parties as well as the opposition. The Caucus and representatives of Israel’s civil society assembled in the Knesset to debate the Arab Peace Initiative (API) and examine what opportunities might exist for restarting long-stalled talks with the Palestinians.

OVI helped attract an overflow crowd of over 500 people from all across Israel to the Caucus’ inauguration. Attendees were eager to ask the assembled MKs what they were actively doing to garner Israeli government support for the API.
 
Caucus Chair, MK Hilik Bar (Labor), opened the proceedings by declaring that ignoring the API was not an option.
 
“The Israeli government hasn't responded positively, nor has it responded negatively. The fact is that it hasn't responded at all. Every Arab and Muslim state supports this historic initiative, yet we remain silent for over a decade.”
 
[For a more fully fleshed out record of the various MKs remarks, please read the Jerusalem Post article here]
 
Addressing the hundreds of people who had assembled in the Knesset, Tal Harris, OVI's Executive Director said:
 
“What we assume is that there is a moderate majority in Israel and Palestine. Around 70% in both societies support a two-state solution, and this 70% ask themselves two questions: is it possible, and is it urgent? In Israel, unfortunately, many don’t feel the urgency. But they should. Time is running out. Regarding ‘is it possible?’ the re-affirmation of the API -- as well as 500 citizens here today calling for it to be engaged with -- should paint a very clear picture.”
 
Scores of OneVoice activists from around the country followed the event with a rally in Jerusalem’s Zion Square, calling on Netanyahu to engage with the API, and urging fellow Israelis to write on his Facebook Wall in order to ensure the message was received, loud and clear.