OneVoice Movement

OVI’s Roundtable Peace Initiative – A Youth Leader’s Perspective

Roundtable participants take part in discussions in Tel Aviv on Sunday, June 23.

By Mattan Peretz*

On Sunday, I attended a political event that was a bit different than what I was used to as a youth leader with OneVoice Israel.

It wasn’t a demonstration in a square or protest outside the prime minister’s office. It wasn’t a lecture on a university campus or debate with representatives from across the political spectrum.

It wasn’t a community tour or an information booth to collect some signatures.

I attended an intriguing event that stood out to me as unique. The mass event – the Roundtable Peace Initiative – was attended by Israelis gathered in 11 cities and seated at 70 roundtables to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

At the center of each table sat Knesset members, journalists, security personnel, and people who invested the best years of their lives working on this political issue. There were also leaders of various peace organizations – 20 total – that co-hosted with OneVoice. Although we have different modes of action, we work toward similar goals, and coming together for this was a great experience.

The politicians, peace groups, and other officials were not the real centers of the discussions, however. The most significant aspect of the event was the participation of the general public – close to 2,000 Israelis – who decided to come and speak their minds.

It was not the type of event where the audience sat passively by or a spectator from time to time asked a question, which may or may not be answered.

At this event, each and every person who stood or sat around a table had a chance to ask, to attack, to challenge, agree, and/or disagree.

Guest speakers could not satisfy the crowds with short answers, or try to escape the stage and divert the discussion to a subject more convenient and easy when talks became heated.

The participants remained seated at the tables until the streetlights went on around ​​Beit Ariela (a Tel Aviv library) in an attempt to continue to provide answers to an eager public as night approached, and the political issues remained the center of public debates around dozens of tables.

Not every table discussion was the same: some were comprised of young people talking quietly and others had more intense debates. Participants moved from table to table, jumping in for a moment to hear and exchange a few words with the speakers and the public, while others sat together for hours, waiting to reach a conclusive resolution and end the discussion.

Although a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was not reached at these tables, we did agree that the best ways to get out of the political stalemate are through dialogue, discussion, and negotiation.

But one may ask in response, “Negotiate? With whom?”

The answer is, “At first…ourselves.”

*Mattan Peretz is a youth leader in the Jerusalem Chapter of OneVoice Israel.

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.

With Israel’s coalition government formed, Maya Peretz reflects on OVI campaign

Jerusalem Coordinator Maya Peretz hangs posters near the Knesset and the entrance to Jerusalem. The campaign called for Yair Lapid to keep his promise to promote the peace process and not go into a coalition with Habayit Hayehudi.

The Israeli government’s coalition formation period is over, leaving surprise winner Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid with Habayit Hayehudi’s Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud, and Tzipi Livni of HaTnua to officially lead Israel’s 33^rd government.

While the outcome is not what OneVoice Israel would have wanted, it is important to understand and acknowledge the effort OVI’s youth leaders dedicated to their campaign and how much work is still needed to bring the two-state solution and an end to the conflict to the forefront of Israeli policy.

Maya Peretz, the Jerusalem regional coordinator, was caught by surprise after the election and during the run-up to this announcement.

“[Yesh Atid] was supposed to be the biggest party representing the moderates in Israeli society and [Habayit Hayehudi] has very nationalistic views, which among other things calls for no compromises when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Maya explained. “I think that because of this surprising move it is also very difficult to predict what direction this government will go.”

For two months, OVI engaged in a vigorous social and traditional media campaign to keep the pressure on Lapid during the coalition process. They particularly targeted his promise to restart negotiations with the Palestinians as a condition for his joining a coalition, as well as his call to take the money from the settlements – putting a partial freeze on construction – and investing the money in Israel’s middle class.

OVI postered messages all over Israeli streets criticizing Lapid’s alliance with Bennett and submitted op-eds, letters to the editor, and ads to national media. Youth leaders canvassed outside the Knesset and Lapid’s house. They even danced the Harlem Shake in a satirical video aimed at the Lapid-Bennett alliance.

Key highlights included an opportunity to meet with Robert Serry, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, to discuss the immediate need for a two-state solution, as well as Dr. Patrick Magee and Jo Berry, founders of Building Bridges for Peace.

During this campaign period, OVI also inspired a wider online conversation on several pages.

Maya believes that Lapid’s alliance with Bennett deserved every ounce of creativity emanated by OVI’s campaign.

“Sometimes it’s very hard to find activities that can really change reality and promote the two-state solution,” Maya said. “These actives felt like we were doing something with this issue and that we were responding to the current political reality. We wanted to make sure that he stood behind these statements, but we found that the bond with Bennett is causing him to betray exactly that.”

Maya suggests that the mood on the Israeli street is that Lapid’s coalition with Bennett resulted in support because its unexpected nature, as well as refusing to give in to initial pressures from Netanyahu.

Although the two claim they differ on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Lapid and Bennett share the same ideas in other areas of Israeli society, including drafting the Ultra-Orthodox into the military and the status of Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel.

This is yet another challenge for Maya. As the Jerusalem coordinator, she is a vocal advocate for the sharing of Jerusalem between Israel (West Jerusalem) and a future Palestinian state (East Jerusalem), something that isn’t an easy task sans election years.

“The fact that the Knesset is placed in Jerusalem makes it very relevant to these [unique] activities,” she said. “Jerusalem is one of the core issues of the conflict and has its own symbolic significance, which makes it a lot more important and meaningful to be active there in general.”

So what’s next for OVI in the coming months?

“I think we should focus on empowering the moderate voices in the government and reestablish our Two-State Solution Caucus,” Maya suggested. “We need to use it to pressure the policymakers of Yesh Atid from inside the government, all while ramping-up the pressure from outside the Knesset with our youth activists from all over Israel.”

Robert Serry, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, speaks about the need to act now for the two-state solution with audience members at Tel Aviv University. Serry criticized the potential policy of the new coalition of enhancing settlement construction, thereby adding to OVI’s momentum toward combating the potential consequences of Bennett's party membership in the new government.

  

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.

Images of Israel: To Yuval Bar, ‘Rocking’ the Casbah’ a good idea

Students at Ben Gurion University listen to an introduction to the Israeli film, "Rock the Casbah," on December 16.

Movies are meant to be an escape, allowing the audience to forget about the harsh realities from which they come.

But there are a few that take reality to the silver screen in the most unapologetic form of art imitating life.

“Rock the Casbah” is one such film screened to about 160 people in Ben Gurion University’s cinema on December 16. This was the first screening inside Israel, and OneVoice Israel combined a lecture by a retired military officer with the film to bring to light the similarities and differences between life and violence in Israel during the first Intifada and today.

Yuval Bar, 30, an OVI youth leader and student at BGU, describes the film as “unique” because of its attempt to show the Israeli-Palestinian conflict not only through the eyes of Israeli soldiers, but through their interactions with those around them.

“The movie reveals one of the hardest things about the military,” Yuval said. “It exposes the daily routine that grinds you. It shows the soldiers just going through the motions, being oblivious and not thinking, and the hostility between members of the company because of the high-stress situation.”

According to Yuval, the fictional film “followed” a company during the beginning of the first Intifada. The soldiers capture a building, use the roof as a lookout, and interact with those around them, including Palestinians whose house they occupy.

But what is truly unique about this film in the greater scope of Israeli cinema, Yuval said, is while it was created by Israelis for Israelis, it expands the role of the Palestinian characters.

“What you see is that the Palestinians have names and lines; they are participants in the film,” he explained. “They aren’t just there to be there…the Palestinian characters react to the soldiers.  And in Israeli media this is a rare thing.”

“You can be sympathetic with all the groups in this movie,” Yuval continued. “The only characters you can’t associate with are the top-ranking officers. They are the enemies of both sides because they construct the situation.”

As a long-time peace advocate, Yuval thinks films like “Rock the Casbah” channels his energy in the right direction. Active since 1996 and a member of several peace organizations and political parties, Yuval found OVI after enrolling in BGU three years ago as a political science major. He has been involved in various social media campaigns, the newspaper headline contest, and the Two-State Solution Caucus in the Israeli Knesset while at OVI.

“I’ve been in the peace scene for a while, so I feel the conflict is a part of me,” Yuval said. “I see first-hand that Israeli society is less interested in the conflict when it should be the #1 issue on the agenda, and the film helps bring this to light.”

“Seeing the crowded cinema at my university and the positive reactions from the audience members on this thought-provoking film makes me reaffirm that I am doing the right thing – that I am on the side that fights for peace.”

Learning from the Past: Former Gush Katif Settlers Talk Future Evacuation

OVI activists Tom Bar-Gal, left, and Liran Naet, center, discuss future evacuations with former Gush Katif settler, Avi Farhan.

On a beach near Kibbutz Neve Yam, not too far from Haifa, we sat together - OneVoice activists and a group of former residents of the Gush Katif settlements – at the home of the Farhan Family on October 17.

We went there with some trepidation, but we were mostly curious about the meeting. Before that evening, we barely knew anyone from the Gush Katif settlements, and the motivation to know them and converse with them was very high. As we arrived, the families welcomed us with warmth and kindness, but with a little fear, similar to what we felt. After waiting a few minutes with the rest of the locals, the meeting started.

As a Movement that promotes the two-state solution, we believe that the evacuation of settlements is an inherent part of the process. Because of that, we wanted to better understand the significance of the evacuation for these people, who refer to themselves as being “thrown out” of their houses. The stories of the families varied: there was nostalgia and longing for the lives they used to have, memories of good relationships they had with their Arab neighbors in the southern part of Gaza, and frustration and disappointment due to the lack of support from the government post-evacuation.

As we expected, we found a large variety of opinions and positions about the essential issues surrounding a possible solution among the former residents of Gush Katif. Some of them suggested living under a Palestinian government outside of the borders of Israel, while others strongly disagreed with retreating from any territory and did not believe that any agreement involving compromise is possible. But most of all, we found an eclectic group of people, whose largest concern was the fear of being hurt again by another evacuation.

Although there were obvious disagreements about the “right way” to go about this, it was noticeable that we all care for and are concerned about the future of the country and the well-being of each other. Eventually, we separated not as partners or as rivals, but as equals looking for a way to end the conflict and curious about meeting again and getting to know each other better.

I had three main conclusions from this meeting:

First, an evacuation, while necessary, is a hard and hurtful process, and any additional family that settles in the occupied territories is in danger of facing pain and sorrow. I do not believe that we can simply blame the families who settle there, we must hold the government accountable, as they ultimately are allowing it to happen. Because the future of the settlements is uncertain, we must – because of humanitarian reasons – stop all the construction in the occupied territories.

Second, Israel's unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip has brought years of insecurity, but above all, it damaged our trust and in the belief that the conflict will end. We should aim to have all future moves made through negotiation and only with the agreement and support of the Palestinian people.

Eventually, in any future evacuation, all efforts must be done to ease the process of evacuation and re-habitation. We must learn from past mistakes and understand the difficulties of the evacuated people, and support them in any way we can.

- Tom Bar-Gal, OVI regional officer of the north

J14 movement joins OneVoice in protesting stalled peace talks

OneVoice Israel erected a massive ice wall, symbolizing the "freeze" in peace talks and containing posters with information on dozens of under-funded social programs in Israel.

New York, August 28, 2012—The #J14 movement joined OneVoice Israel on Tuesday in Tel Aviv to draw for the first time the inextricable link between calls for social justice and demands for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hundreds congregated in Rothschild Boulevard around a massive ice wall, symbolizing the "freeze" in peace talks and containing posters with information on dozens of under-funded social programs in Israel, while the government bleeds money toward conflict management over resolution. The Knesset's Two-State Solution Caucus, led by MK Yoel Hasson and MK Amir Peretz, backed the event and spoke critically about the Netanyahu government's growth of investments east of the Green Line over good faith negotiations with the Palestinians.

“Our social needs are being frozen along with the peace process,” said Tal Harris, OneVoice Israel executive director. “People forgot over the last 20 years that the peace process impacts their day-to-day life. We want to remind them of the need to freeze settlements and end the conflict once and for all by committing to serious negotiations.”

The #J14 protest movement originally wished to avoid politicizing their social justice drive, but could no longer ignore the hard facts. The government’s defense budget ballooned to $14.5 billion in 2012, much of it to maintain the occupation, while education and health suffer serious deficits. Israeli taxpayers have so far bankrolled the occupation and settlement of Palestinian land to the tune of $50 billion while struggling to make ends meet.

“The State of Israel cannot continue its economic prosperity while also maintaining the freeze in the peace process,” said Yossi Yona, a leading member of the #J14 movement. “We must present an integrated approach that includes the just and moral solution of two states, which ultimately translates to social justice for all.”

Singers Noa (Achinoam Nini) and Mira Awad, MKs Avishay Braverman, Nitzan Horowitz, Akram Hasoon, Dov Khenin and Raleb Majadele, and Ambassadors Ilan Baruch, Alon Liel and Daniel Shek, among others, participated in the headline-grabbing event.

"In life there is no status quo, if you don't move forward you go backwards," said MK Dov Khenin. "The government of Netanyahu speaks of two states, but acts on a daily basis to make this solution harder. The price? It’s not only for the Palestinians, we too are paying greatly."

OneVoice's activists in Israel are demanding halting settlement construction to restore confidence in the peace process and restart negotiations. In parallel, OneVoice Palestine is leading community initiatives to transform the frustration and hopelessness on the street into a mass unified call for a peace agreement that ends the occupation, establishes an independent Palestinian state and ends all claims.

Noa (Achinoam Nini) joins OneVoice and #J14 at Tel Aviv protest, linking calls for social justice and ending the conflict.

OneVoice's Tal Harris, The Brief's Nimrod Nir, and Peace Now's Yariv Oppenheimer pose in front of ice wall in Tel Aviv, symbolizing the link between social justice and ending the conflict.

J14 movement and OneVoice to protest stalled peace talks

OneVoice Israel's Facebook ads titled The Cost of the Freeze promotes their upcoming protest in Tel Aviv, drawing for the first time the link between calls for social justice and demands for resolving the conflict.

New York, August 24, 2012—The occupation on the other side of the Green Line did not concern the #J14 movement until now.

No longer able to ignore the facts:

1. Israeli taxpayers have so far bankrolled the occupation and settlement of Palestinian land to the tune of $50 billion while struggling to make ends meet.
2. Settlers receive 22% more in subsidies for education, mortgages, and land purchases, while 90% of Israelis living in Israel proper face the soaring cost of living.

Stav Shaffir, leading member of the #J14 movement, will join OneVoice Israel and the Knesset's Two-State Solution Caucus, led by MK Yoel Hasson and MK Amir Peretz, at 5 pm local time next Tuesday in Tel Aviv to draw for the first time the inextricable link between calls for social justice and demands for resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Yossi Yona, also of the #J14 movement, and actress Etsi Zackheim, among others, will participate in the protest.

The Netanyahu government favors expanding settlements and growing investments east of the Green Line over good faith negotiations with the Palestinians. It's time to say, No more! The protest is expected to draw large crowds to Rothschild Boulevard (between Herzl and Nachlat Binyamin streets), the site where the #J14 movement took off last year. OneVoice Israel is aggressively promoting the event through traditional and new media. Their youth leaders have been postering major cities with the details.

The protesters will congregate around a massive, transparent ice wall, symbolizing the "freeze" in peace talks and containing posters with information on dozens of under-funded social programs in Israel as the government bleeds money toward conflict management over resolution.

Backed by the Two-State Solution Caucus, OneVoice's activists in Israel are demanding halting settlement construction to restore confidence in the peace process and restart negotiations. In Palestine, OneVoice is leading community initiatives to transform the frustration and hopelessness on the street into mass unified call for a peace agreement that establishes an independent Palestinian state and ends all claims.