*By
Wasim Almasri
OVP activists Raya Fatayer and Alaa Salous approach a young woman at the Nablus quiz night. See below for more images.
Every
year OneVoice activists in Palestine celebrate Muslims' holy month of Ramadan
with joy, kindness, and community work. Most of the activities OneVoice
Palestine (OVP) implements during Ramadan (and the rest of the year) are
generated by the youth leaders themselves, with their in-depth knowledge of
their own communities. They believe in upholding and harnessing local
traditions, in helping the other, and in building trust within their
communities. So when several youth leaders came up with an idea to organize
debates and quiz nights discussing the political issues of the day in
Palestine, OVP was very supportive in bringing the vision to life.
OneVoice’s
chapter in Nablus took on the first event by organizing a political quiz night
in a big mall in the city. The idea was to ask the public questions and engage
them in discussions about the conflict and the recently announced negotiations.
OneVoice activists Alaa Salous and Raya Fatayer (shown in the picture above) asked local people questions about the conflict and gauged their view on
numerous issues that were being debated that day. The outcome was surprisingly
positive, giving the nature of these events and the state of apathy and
cynicism that we have increasingly witnessed among young Palestinians.
People
asked questions about the Movement and were intrigued to know more about
OneVoice and the work we are doing across the West Bank and Gaza. The youth
leaders handed out fliers and explained OneVoice activities and policies toward
ending the occupation and the conflict and building the independent Palestinian
state. The youth leaders were able to generate momentum and build solid arguments
about negotiations and peace building.
The
next day, it was the OneVoice chapter in Bethlehem’s turn. OVP's Executive
Director, Samer Makhlouf, and the Youth Leadership Training Program Director Abdallah Hamarsheh joined 40 youth leaders hailing from six different villages
and cities near Bethlehem.
"Every
individual has to play a role, and this role is important like a small piece in
a big puzzle," said Makhlouf. "We empower youth to contribute to
building the de facto Palestinian state, ending the occupation, and creating a
better future for the region. Now is the right time for action. The momentum
being created with the renewal of peace talks gives us an even larger platform
to demand a settlement freeze behind the Green Line, so we give these talks a
chance."
Hamarsheh
explained the importance of non-violent activism. He encouraged the youth
leaders to be active in campaigns to boycott settlement products and debated
the current negotiations. Hamarsheh also brainstormed ideas with the youth
leaders for the International Youth Day on August 12. The youth agreed on
organizing a peace marathon that runs through Bethlehem and shows support for
the Palestinian leadership as they begin the negotiations.
Ramadan nights continued in Salfeet, as
OVP joined the Abdul Qader Cultural Center in organizing an event on political
and cultural debates. The event took place in Alzawieh, a town south of
Salfeet, in partnership with a number of local organizations in the city. Over
60 people attended.
During
the event, a documentary about the separation wall and expansion of settlements
in the West Bank was shown to the audience. The organizers also reserved time
to discuss the political scene and the current negotiations.
In
Hebron, the numbers were significantly larger than we expected. Over 1,500
people attended OVP's event in Noba Public Park. OneVoice’s chapter in Hebron
organized the event, entitled “The Reality of the Occupation and the Dream of
the State,” with Hamarsheh, who spoke first about the Movement and emphasized
the role of Palestinians in supporting the leadership during the negotiation
process.
It was a night of celebration, politics, and folklore. The
highest earned GPA graduates - whom scored a 99% in their governmental high
school exams – were in attendance and they expressed interest in joining
OneVoice. OVP offered congratulations to the families and the students and
offered to accept them into the Youth Leadership Training Program once they
sign up for college.
As chapters organized events
to build consensus for ending the conflict and supporting negotiations, OneVoice activists in Jenin organized a Ramadan-themed charitable activity to
strengthen the generosity spirit of the community.
“Generous Lanterns" - as lanterns are traditional symbols of
Ramadan in Muslim cities - is what the youth leaders decided to name the initiative.
They distributed Ramadan items, water, dates, and yogurt in the old market,
along with the Movement's fliers to support the Palestinian leadership's negotiation efforts. These items show kindness toward fellow Muslims who are fasting during the
holy month. The youth also wished the pedestrians a generous Ramadan and a happy
Eid.
The Ramadan events were a wonderful
opportunity for us and the youth leaders to connect with the community. We had
the chance to discuss political, social, and economic issues and the negotiations.
While most of the people we've met were skeptical about the progress of the
current negotiations, we found most intrigued to learn more.
OneVoice
recognizes that negotiations are key to an agreement that brings an
end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the occupation. With the
possibility of talks on the horizon, our belief in this remains steadfast.
After 20 years of on-and-off negotiations, we must recognize that any
talks must be based on clear parameters (1967 borders and international
resolutions) that will lead to the ultimate goal: an independent Palestinian
state alongside Israel, bringing security to the whole region. When Ramadan
falls next year, we are looking forward to the hope of breaking our fast on the
first Hilal as citizens of an independent country called Palestine.
*Wasim Almasri is the communications officer
for OneVoice Palestine.
The Ramadan quiz night in Bethlehem focused on the political
scene in the Palestine.
In Hebron, over 1,500 people congregated in Noba Park for the event entitled, "The Reality of the Occupation and the Dream of the State."
Youth leaders take part in the "Generous Lanterns" initiative in Jenin.
