OneVoice Movement

Siaseh Café: Coffee and politics in Palestine

A Siaseh Cafe in Nablus on March 3, 2014.

Once a week, OneVoice Palestine activists gather over coffee. The brew is strong, much like the opinions of the Youth Leaders, who talk politics and the peace process in cafés across the West Bank. These Siaseh (or Politics) Cafés provide a forum wherein young Palestinians are able to debate their peers openly and evaluate decisions made by Palestinians leaders and the international community.

“We send the Youth Leaders a different topic from the news ahead of each session,” said Abdallah Hamarsheh, OVP’s Youth Leadership Training Program Director. “We also send invites to the Youth Leaders and ask them to bring friends who haven’t engaged in conversations with OneVoice in the past. The results are usually very interesting.”

Bringing different views to each conversation creates a unique discussion around Palestinian national interests and how the community addresses them. On one recent occasion in Nablus, activists discussed the ongoing negotiations with the Israelis and the role of the grassroots in reaffirming Palestinian national principles. While the majority showed ample support for non-violent activities, some questioned the prospects for progress in the window that remains for a final agreement. The activists questioned the sincerity of Israel’s participation in the negotiations in light of continued settlement construction in the West Bank and the recently proposed Knesset bill to annexbill the Jordan Valley.

“While the majority of participants support the two-state solution as a means to end the occupation and conflict, resolve the final status issues, and establish an independent Palestinian state, there is a common feeling of frustration among the participants,” said Ezzeldeen Masri, Director of OVP’s Gaza office. “More than 20 years have passed since the commencement of the peace process and yet Palestinians are not witnessing any progress.”

The Siaseh Cafés are part of OVP’s larger “Wake Up! What is Your Role?” campaign launched in November 2013. Through “Wake Up!” OVP is energizing the centrist, Palestinian mainstream to take their future into their own hands and support the negotiators. Through youth initiatives, TV and radio shows, town hall meetings, and issue-based discussions, the campaign aims to break the state of apathy about negotiations and demonstrate that non-violent resistance can be successful in securing Palestinian rights while connecting every day Palestinians to their leaders.

OVP asks Palestinians to “Wake Up!” and change the status quo

OneVoice Palestine is taking to the streets of the West Bank and Gaza to bolster support for the peace process by emphasizing that everyday Palestinians have a part to play in ending the occupation and establishing an independent state.

The “Wake Up! What is Your Role?” campaign, launched last year in the midst of the U.S.-led negotiations spear-headed by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, is energizing the centrist Palestinian mainstream to take their future into their own hands and support the Palestinian negotiators. To launch the campaign, hundreds of activists gathered in the Jordan Valley to raise a 1,000-meter banner stitched together by OVP chapters in Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jerusalem, and Jericho. Written on the banner were the core national principles that are the basis for Palestinian negotiators. The PLO's Chief Negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, addressed the activists while Jericho Governor Majid Fitani and Lieutenant Colonel Atef Naser looked on during an impromptu public meeting.

The “What Is Your Role?” campaign has five components: youth-led initiatives on campuses and in communities; public town hall meetings with Palestinian influencers; TV talk shows on Palestinian national television with live studio audiences and street interviews; radio shows on popular stations in the West Bank; and Siaseh (or “Political”) Cafés where activists get together to talk politics. Each medium reinforces facilitates open, candid discussions between average Palestinians and their leaders and provides a vehicle for non-violent activism and public engagement in the political process –making OVP’s campaign a unique and important part of the grassroots efforts needed for a successful outcome.

Portrait from Palestine: OneVoice Activists in Nablus Paint Mural, Aim to Promote Public Participation in State Building

OneVoice Palestine youth leaders and community members from Nablus in front of the mural.

On Saturday November 23, 40 OneVoice Palestine (OVP) activists in Nablus organized an artistic initiative to support the Palestinian leadership and emphasize the importance of a peace agreement to achieve Palestinian national aspirations.

OVP's chapters in Nablus designed a mural reflecting on two important events in Palestinian history, according to OVP Youth Leader Alaa Salous. The first was the anniversary of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s death on November 11 and the second was Palestine's Independence Day on November 15.

“Today we honor our leader by walking in his footsteps and supporting the two-state solution,” Salous said, “and we also want to promote young Palestinians’ roles in ending the occupation and building the independent state.”

The mural shows the faces of the late President Arafat and current President Mahmoud Abbas. The Youth Leaders wrote “Palestine, the 194^th State” on the mural, referring to the name given to the diplomatic campaign by the Palestinian National Authority last year in an effort to gain statehood in the United Nations, which OVP supported through a national campaign in the West Bank and Gaza.

As the young leaders raised the mural on the wall of the Center, they were satisfied and very proud of the work they accomplished.

OneVoice staff was also happy of the outcome.

“I think this is a clear image of non-violent activism at its best,” said OVP Executive Director Samer Makhlouf. “We encourage our volunteers to organize these types of activities to protest the occupation and the Israeli government's policies against our people.”

OneVoice Palestine Volunteers Win Outstanding Arab Youth Excellence Awards

OVP Youth Leader Ibrahim Mubarak won the Youth Culture Award, and is pictured here with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The Arab Youth Council for Integrated Development has announced the winners of the 2013 Outstanding Arab Youth Excellence Awards, and two of OneVoice Palestine's (OVP) Youth Leaders from Bethlehem—Ibrahim Mubarak and Ziad Dar'awi—received awards in the fields of culture and innovation.

Ibrahim, who joined OVP’s Youth Leadership Program in 2006 and currently leads the Bethlehem chapter, received the Distinguished Arab Youth Culture Award in the field of public speaking.

“I want to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to the Council sponsored by the League of Arab States,” said Ibrahim. “I dedicate this award to my beloved family who supported me throughout my journey and OneVoice Palestine who contributed to the refinement and development of my abilities over the past years.”

OVP Youth Leader Ziad Dar'awi was recognized for technical innovation for his “smart glasses,” a tool that controls wheelchairs by using eye gestures. The glasses are also compatible with most electronic devices in order to help people with special needs to accomplish most of their tasks with ease. 

Ziad expressed gratitude to all those who stood by his side and supported him to win the Arab Youth Excellence Award for innovation. His dream is to represent Palestine internationally and give back to his community.

The Arab Youth Excellence Awards are bestowed upon young Arab entrepreneurs overcoming obstacles and excelling in their fields. The Arab Youth Council bestowed the winners with honorary memberships in the Council and its advisory board.

Congratulations to Ibrahim and Ziad!

Youth Leader Ziad Dar'awi talks about his “smart glasses” which won the Innovation Award.

International officials cite OVP’s work for two-states and women’s empowerment

Mayor Teresa Isaac speaks to members of the Women of Influence program at OVP in Ramallah.

As the eyes of the world put the secretive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations under a microscope, dissecting, analyzing, and predicting outcomes based on the failures of the past, the dedication by the grassroots gets overshadowed time and again.

OneVoice activists are helping to break this mold. They are underscoring the importance of these negotiations while providing their own peoples – Israeli and Palestine, male and female – with a platform for bold words and actions of support, making civil society a critical player in the outcome of a just two-state solution.

OneVoice Palestine (OVP) has already gained the recognition of two very important yet disparate internationals earlier this month who see the value in the work of our youth leaders.

Andreas Reinicke, the European Union’s Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, met with OVP in Ramallah on October 8. This was Reinicke’s second visit to OVP’s offices this year and highlighted the ongoing and future campaigns that OVP will run in support of the Palestinian leadership at the negotiating table.

“There is a need to create a positive discussion around the talks and to utilize the media – social and traditional – to create support and personal responsibility to end the occupation,” said OVP Executive Director Samer Makhlouf. “We will be leading several activities in the next few months to bridge the gap between the leadership and the public in Palestine in order to explain the benefits of negotiations as a means to gain rights, not to lose them, and the options moving forward depending on the outcome.”

The following day, former Lexington, Kentucky (USA) Mayor Teresa Isaac visited OVP in coordination with the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem. Isaac currently works as a consultant for the U.S. Department of State as a trainer for mayors and police chiefs, runs her own law firm, and teaches at Midway College. She not only wished to share her experience as a woman in a leadership position, but also about women empowerment programs in the U.S.

Isaac told the group about her experience studying law at the University of Kentucky and empowering women in her society to take leading roles in their communities. She also shared her experience during the years she served in office and the challenges she encountered trying to provide equal services for all citizens in Lexington.

The OVP team briefed Isaac on the work they are doing around negotiations, but similarly shifted the discussion to women’s issues. OVP youth leaders and other attendees were eager to share the challenges they encounter every day. Patriarchy, coupled with access to education, were the primary challenges to female empowerment in Palestine, the youth leaders told Isaac. A few shared individual stories about their struggle to take leading roles in the political scene in Salfeet and Nablus. They explained that they are trying to provide services for the community and encourage other women to speak up for equal rights.

Nisreen Shahin, executive director of the PeaceWorks Foundation in Palestine, was also present and thought the meeting with Isaac had a great impact on those in attendance.

“I noticed that the women who were invited by OVP were very passionate to hear about the experience of powerful women in a leadership positions,” she explained. “Local and international role models, such as successful women in politics and business coming to share their experience and lessons with young Palestinian women can have an immediate impact with inspiring results, even more so than training.”

At Jabalya Refugee Camp, two-state solution is a topic of interest

OVP-Gaza Director Ezzeldeen Masri talks about the two-state solution with refugees in Jabalya.

Twenty-five university students came together to discuss and debate the two-state solution in an intimate setting in Gaza last week.

These discussions are not uncommon in Palestine, especially at OneVoice Palestine (OVP) events. Refugees, sometimes maligned in their own communities, have strong opinions on these issues, and are directly impacted by the outcome of the conflict.

On October 9, those 25 university students living in Jabalya Refugee Camp came together with OVP and partner the Society of Hope & Future to discuss Palestinian hopes and the realities surrounding the two-state solution.

OVP-Gaza director Ezzeldeen Masri spoke to the unfortunate realities that Palestinians have gone and continue to go through: half of the population has lived in refugee camps since 1948; the continued suffering under Israeli occupation; perceived collective punishment against the 1.7 million Gazans; continued Israeli settlement building West Bank; the Palestinian national division; and the lack of a comprehensive and agreed upon national program.

“In order to liberate our land and establish our independent Palestinian state, we all need to get involved in the struggle against the occupation,” said Masri. “The creative, nonviolent resistance is the only way that guarantees that all the segments of the Palestinian people can participate in the march toward independence. Each one of us should ask: what can I do to end the occupation and establish the independent state?”

Amid some skepticism, Masri went on to tell the students that the two-state solution protects Palestinians’ right to self-determination and statehood and preserves their national identity as Arab Palestinians living in an independent state. He also mentioned that signing of a permanent peace treaty between Palestine and Israel will ensure that all final status issues, including refugees, settlements, and Jerusalem, will finally be resolved.

Mr. Saleem Hindi, the Director of the Palestinian Peace Coalition in the Gaza Strip, agreed.

“The two-state solution is an ideal solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Hindi said. “However, the continuation of the Israeli settlement enterprise in the West Bank forbids us Palestinians from having our sovereign state…we are ready to end the conflict based on two states, are the Israelis ready?"

The topic of negotiations also surfaced during the meeting. The secretive peace talks between the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships have gone underground for the most part, but that doesn’t stop the discussion on the street.

“What if the current negotiations failed just like the other rounds of failed negotiations, do we continue to negotiate just for negotiating while Israel continues to build facts on the grounds?” asked Mohammad Majdalawi.

Masri explained that negotiations are the ideal method to end any conflict, and eventually a permanent peace agreement will be signed based on win-win negotiations. One shouldn't blame the process of negotiations, he said, but instead show support for the Palestinian negotiators.

Of the 25 students in attendance, 18 stayed after to sign up for OVP’s basic training program in Gaza.

“The state of Israel is a reality that we Palestinians have to deal with in order to end our suffering,” Masri told the audience, “and the two-state solution is a birth certificate for two states: Israel and Palestine.”

Saleem Hindi, the Director of the Palestinian Peace Coalition, explains that continued Israeli settlement expansion is problematic.

State building in Palestine: Community engagement key to success of future laws

Members of the Palestinian Security Forces, community members, and OVP youth leaders in Hebron.

OneVoice Palestine’s (OVP) community is fully engaged in supporting state building in Palestine, and it’s catching the attention of respected organizations.

On August 22, OVP co-sponsored a public meeting with the Palestinian Center for Research and Strategic Studies (PCRSS) to discuss a national security law proposal in Hebron.

Over 60 members of the security forces and community leaders discussed the law proposal entitled, “Developing Modern Legislation for the Palestinian National Security Forces.” It is dedicated to promoting and facilitating the structuring of civil-military relations in accordance with fundamental democratic principles.

Director of PCRSS, Dr. Mohammad Almasri, took the stage and explained to the audience the benefits of creating a legislative law for the Palestinian Security Forces. He said that the importance of such projects comes from its promotion of democracy and human rights through developing legislation for the security sector in Palestine.

OVP supports state building on such principles.

OVP's Executive Director, Samer Makhlouf, and the youth leadership Program Director, Abdallah Hamarsheh, attended the meeting with a significant portion of OneVoice's chapter in Hebron.

Similar to OVP's public meetings program, the event aimed to connect and engage Palestinian leadership with local communities to create a valid discussion over democracy in Palestine and transparency of legislation through public engagement.

“We believe in promoting the culture of democracy in Palestine,” said Dr. Almasri, “and by engaging the public with community leaders and decision makers, we can create a culture of debate that enhances democracy among public and private sectors and ultimately contribute to state building in Palestine.”

Democracy and legislation were not the only subjects discussed during the event. Makhlouf took the opportunity to speak to the current negotiations while promoting positive participation in supporting the Palestinian leadership’s efforts to achieve peace.

“The feedback we received can easily be described as hopeless,” said Makhlouf. “The general mood among the participants is skepticism and apathy, but we need to continue working to achieve an end to the occupation and the conflict.”

Makhlouf explained how vital these talks are to the lives of Palestinians: "We need to move forward and focus on building our independent state. Ending the occupation and the conflict are a priority, but it has to be in accordance with international resolutions for Palestinians to fully embrace their rights.”

A negotiations update: The Palestinian leadership attended a meeting with Israeli officials on September 2 despite the recent events in Qalandia refugee camp. Three Palestinians were killed by the Israeli military, while settlement expansion announcements continue, particularly in Area C near East Jerusalem. Despite all of this, the Palestinian leadership continues to show a huge commitment to ending this conflict. The skepticism among Palestinians is growing around the reality of a viable comprehensive peace agreement, but the work of OVP remains in installing hope and building consensus among Palestinians to continue supporting viable talks based on the 1967 borders and international resolutions.

OVP Executive Director Samer Makhlouf (center) during the event.

A father’s loss fuels peaceful activism in Palestine and beyond

Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, left, author of “I Shall Not Hate,” with Imad Falouji, president of the Adam Center, in Gaza City August 13.

There are no words to describe the horror Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish went through. In January 2009, during the tail end of the Gaza War, an Israeli tank attacked his home, killing his three daughters. He would never hear the laughter of Bessan, 21, Mayar, 15, and Aya, 13, ever again.

The cyclical nature of violence, death, anger, and retaliation is something residents of the Gaza Strip have endured for many decades. There are others who suffer as Dr. Abuelaish did, trapped in the coastal territory by the will of global actors playing with their fates.

But Dr. Abuelaish is different. He focuses his energies on nonviolence, so much so he won the respect of the international community several times over and established the Daughters for Life Foundation.  

Nonviolence also happens to be the tactic OneVoice Palestine (OVP) preaches on a daily basis, which is why the doctor paid OVP-Gaza a visit on August 13 in coordination with the Adam Center in Gaza City.

During the meeting, Dr. Abuelaish focused on the lessons found in his book, I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey. He spoke about the power of refusing – however difficult and unpopular – to hate one’s enemy, as well as the need for mutual understanding, and eventually coexistence after ending the occupation.

“Don’t let hate and anger kill you from the inside and make you lose your humanity,” Dr. Abuelaish told the nearly 40 people in attendance.

Some of the participants grappled with their own hardships living in Gaza and with what Dr. Abuelaish was saying. In this unequal conflict, they found it hard to imagine any positivity coming from the relationship between the oppressor, Israel, and the oppressed, themselves.

Dr. Abuelaish understood this feeling, but told the participants that the burning anger Palestinians have must be used constructively and peacefully, or else they’ve already lost.

“Your oppressor wants to see you angry and violent,” the doctor said, “so he can have a clear conscience and justification for his crimes. Through creative, nonviolent protest, we can have a great and positive influence on the society of the oppressor.”

That is: a partner, working in parallel, for peace.

There were a number of Palestinians present who felt inspired by Dr. Abuelaish's story and embraced his call for nonviolent resistance.

“It’s very important that the youth in Gaza read and understand this new line of thinking,” said Omar Mansour.

OVP-Gaza Director Ezzeldeen Masri agreed.

“Nonviolent resistance allows all segments of our people to participate effectively in the march toward liberation and independence,” Masri said.  

It’s people like those at OVP, coupled with the memory of his daughters and what could have been, that keep the doctor going and his hope alive for a Palestinian state.

“Every Palestinian needs to be engaged in the struggle toward independence,” Dr. Abuelaish told the group before he parted. “Palestinians need to ask themselves, what is my role in the national struggle to end the occupation?”

We certainly know and welcome Dr. Abuelaish's role.

To learn more about the Daughters for Life Foundation, click here.

The participants listen intently to how Dr. Abuelaish controlled his anguish and used it for peace.

Examining the political scene in Palestine: positive dialogue about the conflict

*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. 

OVP's Wasim Masri talks negotiations on BBC World News

WATCH: OneVoice Palestine's Wasim Masri on BBC World News to discuss the return to Israeli-Palestinian negotiations after three years without talks. Video courtesy of BBC World News.