OneVoice Movement

Portraits of Palestine: Connecting ordinary citizens with decision makers in Jenin

OneVoice Palestine held a public meeting in Jenin to discuss the U.N. bid’s and Israeli election’s impact on Palestinian society.

Over 100 volunteers, citizens, and representatives from the Palestinian security forces packed Jenin’s City Call on January 23 for a OneVoice Palestine public meeting entitled, “The U.N. Bid: Reality and Challenges.” 

Jenin’s governor, Major General Talal Dweikat, sponsored the meeting, and OVP’s Jenin chapter organized the discussion. This event is part of OVP’s public meetings program, which seeks to link Palestinian leadership with the masses in order to promote confidence between them in cities in the West Bank and Gaza.

“The public meeting program provides a fantastic opportunity for the people to connect with the decision makers in a transparent and direct way,” said Abdallah Hamarsheh, OVP's youth leadership program director.

Notable speakers included Dr. Mohammed Almasri, director of the Palestinian Center for Research and Strategic Studies, who stressed the importance of the peaceful popular actions to end the Israeli occupation and build the independent Palestinian state. Othman Abu Gharbieh, Fatah movement’s Central Committee member, served as the event’s keynote speaker, and spoke to the Palestinian leadership’s take on citizen safety and security, the upcoming Palestinian elections, and the popular non-violent resistance against the occupation adopted by the leadership in light of political changes.

The focus, however, was how the U.N. bid and current Israeli policies create a challenging environment for Palestinian political aspirations.

Abu Gharbieh demonstrated how the Palestinian leadership capitalized on the support of the international community while at the U.N. and how the worldwide support provided an opportunity for the Palestinians and opened new horizons “we didn’t expect.”

But Gharbieh also stressed the importance to continue the non-violent popular resistance, but not at the expense of international support.

The reality and the future of the illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank were also on the agenda. Gharbieh stressed the importance of the Palestinian struggle under the political changes in the region and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state where sovereignty, dignity, and full independence are national demands in the face of the continued occupation. He used the recent Israeli elections as a frame.

"The numbers in the Israeli elections show a clear confusion, as it represents the political, social, and economic reality in Israel," said Gharbieh. "The State of Israel lives in isolation from the international community caused mainly by the arrogance of the Israeli leadership and their settlement policies."

Abu Gharbieh also took time to talk about the Palestinian reconciliation and the need to recover the “people’s spirit,” as he described it, through national Palestinian elections in Gaza and the West Bank. Abu Gharbieh also pointed that a Palestinian reconciliation must not be built on political quotas and should represent a clear image of a Palestinian international political agenda, avoiding the Palestinians an economic crisis.

When asked if the meeting was a success, Mohammed Asideh, OVP's field coordinator and senior youth leader, said he was pleasantly surprised at the meeting’s level of attendance.

"I didn't expect many to attend, but given the nature of these meetings and the subject at hand, I think the people of Jenin are clearly interested in investing their time to know more about the future of the Palestinian independent state and ending the occupation," Mohammad explained. 

Palestinian security forces were among those present for the meeting.

2012: The Challenges, the Mission, the State

By Wasim al-Masri

If I was asked to recall one memorable moment from 2012, the first thing that would come to mind is Palestine's United Nations bid and the series of events that led to the historic vote in November.

Every event, workshop, initiative, and campaign my colleagues and I at OneVoice Palestine (OVP) launched in 2012 – 35 workshops, 9 youth-led initiatives, 12 town hall meetings, and two major campaigns – was building to the day of the vote.

I was watching the vote in my living room with my family. And although the early polls showed a majority in favor of a Non-member Observer State of the U.N., like most Palestinians rallying in the streets of Ramallah and watching the vote on the big screens that night, I was anticipating the moment a Palestinian state was officially acknowledged by the international community and the rest of the world, bringing the state of inequality to an end.

That night, I had to go down memory lane and revisit some of the key moments in OVP's campaign to support Palestine's U.N. bid. We launched the campaign in early 2012 with little support and expectations from the local community.

We had a plan: to mobilize the people and advocate the importance of the U.N. bid for building the independent Palestinian state and achieving peace in the region. First, we launched a series of workshops to explain the U.N. bid, and then we organized town hall meetings to connect the people with the politicians. Finally, we mobilized the youth leaders on the ground nearing the date of the vote. Our plans seemed fairly easy from the drawing board. But they weren't.

Our first campaign in 2012, although praised locally by Palestinian officials, was sadly overlooked by the Israelis and the international community. We needed to convey a message to the Israeli government to cease settlement expansion in the West Bank and return to negotiations. "The land is ours, leave us be" was a bold statement in the face of, what we believe is, the greatest threat to the two-state solution and the peace process: settlements.

Over the course of three months, we planted trees threatened by confiscation in Area C (east of Bethlehem, south of Hebron, and west of Jenin). We also rallied hundreds of youth leaders and activists to support the Arab Peace Initiative and send messages to the Israeli public inviting them to adopt the initiative and revive the peace talks. Above: Over 300 activists gathered near Jenin in April, flying balloons containing copies of the Arab Peace Initiative -- translated into Hebrew -- over the Wall and into Israel. Below: OVP's activists rallying with the people of Bethlehem to plant trees in an event we named, "The Future Garden of Peace."

Back in my living room, President Abbas was wrapping up his speech in the General Assembly. "The General Assembly is called upon today to issue a birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine," said Abbas. "This is why we are specifically here today."

By the end of June, the image was clear. We've established a solid base in advocating the importance of the U.N. bid. People started to ask questions and we provided answers through our town hall meeting program, focusing entirely on the topic of the U.N. bid and the options of the Palestinian Authority (PA) after the vote, connecting ordinary citizens to the Palestinian leadership. The first town hall meeting organized by OVP's youth leaders in Hebron attracted over 300 participants, with decision makers responding to the public's questions and concerns.

Through our community events, whether we were hosting or co-sponsoring, we made sure that the message of the U.N. bid and the two-state solution was conveyed. We wanted the public to be aware of this rare opportunity to end the conflict once and for all. The message was present through each and every event we organized. A good example would be the day we celebrated the International Day of Peace. The youth leaders called all nations to support the Palestinian leadership at the U.N. and help bring justice by ending the occupation to build the independent Palestinian state.

We were counting the hours to the day of the vote, promoting peaceful mobilization and inspiring people to take actions along the way. Hundreds of new recruits were joining the Movement through our introductory workshops, community events, and public campaigns. And on November 18, hundreds joined us to plant the foundation stone for the future garden of peace.

Activists, community leaders, and the citizens of Bethlehem joined hands to paint an image of effective public engagement by creating positive facts on the ground. We couldn't be happier.

A week prior to the vote, we launched the final stage of the campaign: a U.N. bid website. Our youth leaders and staff members were on the streets of every major city in the West Bank handing out fliers and posters; interviews occurred, and our office in Ramallah was a circus. We were hyper from coffee and pure excitement!

One particular Tuesday comes to mind. As I was driving to the office, I was thinking that I had obviously spent too many hours staring at our campaign's blue logo, because I was seeing blue everywhere. Once I arrived to the office, I was greeted with the image of our logo featured on the front page of a hugely successful local newspaper.

The logo we used to promote the campaign was a hit! “Palestine at the United Nations” logo was a huge success among news agencies and local media outlets, and on that particular Tuesday, it was everywhere, and represented the peak of our campaign.

"Of the 193 member states of the United Nations, 131 (67.9%) have recognized the State of Palestine as of November 2012. Their total population is over 5.5 billion people, equaling 80 percent of the world's population."

The day after the vote there was much work to be done. The team was exhausted. We were having coffee and discussing the crazy rollercoaster we've been on for the past 12 months. The question on everyone's mind was the obvious: what comes next? For OVP's team, it was clear that walking down the path of the two-state solution and promoting the Arab Peace Initiative through peaceful mobilization would continue. The path of ending the occupation and building the state has just begun. We have ambitious ideas for 2013, but that's another story to be told.

Portraits of Palestine: OVP Promotes Peaceful Mobilization in Bethlehem

“Believe you can  and you're halfway there.”

We are believers. We believe that ending the occupation will only come through collective effort and unity. We believe that an independent Palestinian state can only materialize through a comprehensive peace agreement with the two-state solution as its basis. We believe that to inspire the people we must lead. And we most definitely believe in nonviolence.  Peaceful mobilization and selfless acts of courage are the keys to ending the conflict once and for all.

This is why we were inspired to lead and rally hundreds of people through deserted lands east of Bethlehem to plant the foundation stone for the future Peace Park on November 13. It’s a message, as we see it, for the state of Israel to abide by the 1967 borders and for the international community to support the Palestinian bid for non-member status at the United Nations this month.

We were not alone. The people of the rural area of Bethlehem and some Palestinian community leaders insisted on participating in the event, and called it “a beacon of hope for many” and a “positive fact that needs to be strengthened with popular work on the ground."

Dar Salah city hall was the initial  rallying point for OneVoice Palestine activists, community leaders, citizens of the small village, and many news reporters who came to cover the event - and in some cases, participate as inspired Palestinian citizens.

Hundreds walked the rocky path through the small hills. Greeted with the view of numerous caves scattered around us, the excitement began to build. Some were singing, others taking photos - the rally was a fascinating experience for all involved.

Upon arrival, the massive crowd gathered around a small monument on top of the chosen  location. The monument reads: “The Peace Park, the State 194,” referring to Palestine becoming  the 194^th state in the UN. The people of the area decided that the garden will be a beacon of hope for the future state and a symbol of peace for all.

“We are proud of this accomplishment,” said Dr. Mahmoud Labadi, spokesman of the International Relations Council of Fatah and OneVoice Palestine Advisory Board member. “The [Peace Park] is a symbol of courage. It represents the Palestinian dream of  the future state and peace with all its neighbors.”

Samer Makhlouf, OVP’s executive director, expressed his gratitude to the generous people of Dar Salah and the surrounding villages. Makhlouf pointed out the individual responsibility of each citizen toward ending the occupation, achieving peace, and the role of effective public engagement in creating positive facts-on-the-ground.

The people started planting the trees after. It was a pleasant sight by many standards. The youth leaders and the villagers were working together with one vision, a state for Palestinians and a prosperous future for generations to come.

The once deserted land is no longer forgotten. The trees rise from the ashes of despair and give hope to all. People from all different backgrounds were once more reminded of their national identities and why we are supporting Palestine’s UN statehood bid, reasons why we were there that day. Our work in Dar Salah was finished for the day, but we still have a long road ahead of us.

As I walked back to our rallying point, I looked in the eyes of the people around me; they all sparked with hope and excitement. We were talking about visiting the Park in the future, only this time it will be an entire forest, with tourists from all nationalities visiting the State of Palestine. I told them I would hold on to this thought. I know the challenges ahead are great. I also know that keeping those sparks of hope will be the biggest challenge we will ever encounter, but that this is what ti will take to deliver statehood and peace.

-Wasim Masri

Watch a news segment from the Palestine News Network's (PNN) coverage of the event:

   

Abbas’s Words of Courage, falling on deaf ears, or worse, being undermined by Israelis that unwittingly strengthen his rivals

A message from Daniel Lubetzky, co-founder and president, OneVoice Movement

So many in the Israeli and American Jewish community say that Palestinians take no steps to build trust or recognize that they are committed to live in peace with Israel.  But Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has for over a decade consistently been courageous about the need for reaching a two-state solution through non-violent means, to the point that other Palestinians often criticize him for his conciliatory tone and policies that have not been reciprocated by the present Israeli government. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and perhaps worst of all, Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya’alon, keep marginalizing Abbas and giving him no room to operate. 

And yet the Israeli administration has continued to unwittingly (or some fear, intentionally, so as to discredit the existence of moderate Palestinian partners to negotiate with) strengthen Hamas’s credibility – most recently with the Gaza war that ended with Israeli concessions that Hamas is trumpeting as a victory over the Zionists.  Sadly, over the last couple of months the Israeli government has turned Hamas into an extremely popular party not just in Gaza, but even in the West Bank, and even among Christian parties.  Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank increasingly feel that the Hamas way of violent resistance is the only way Israelis will react and they credit Hamas with numerous (often imagined) victories, while seeing Abbas as increasingly ineffective and irrelevant because the Israeli government ignores his overtures.

It wasn’t like this just a few weeks ago! 

The present Israeli administration continues to try to weaken Palestinian moderates and destroy any legitimacy or credibility they may have left.  Last week, Ya’alon said, “What stands out from this event is the irrelevance of Abbas.  He's only relevant for declarations and for unilateral steps to seek recognition at the U.N.”  So what does Ya’alon want? For Abbas to use force so that he will listen?!  Didn’t we ask Palestinians to use diplomatic means? Which is it? Do we want the Palestinian leadership to use reason as Abbas does, or force as Hamas does?

It takes enormous courage for him to be direct about all these issues. Saying it on Israeli television takes even more courage.

"Palestine for me is the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital, this is Palestine, I am a refugee, I live in Ramallah, the West Bank and Gaza is Palestine, everything else is Israel,” Abbas said in an interview on Israel's Channel 2.

And yet, Netanyahu’s response that same day was to announce more settlement building.

It is fascinatingly depressing to see how extremists help one another become more popular.  It is almost as if there is an unholy alliance between the Israeli and Palestinian absolutists, reinforcing each other’s visions, and destroying the moderate camps on both sides. How long will the voices of moderation stay silent and watch their lives be hijacked?

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.

WATCH: In Conversation with Miliband and Mitchell (FULL VERSION)

London, October 19, 2011—OneVoice held an event at Chatham House with Rt. Hon. David Miliband MP, former UK Foreign Secretary, and Sen. George Mitchell, former US Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, to discuss the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the two-state solution. Watch the full video recording of the event.

The video recording is provided courtesy of Chatham House.

OneVoice activists grab local headlines in Washington

New York, October 10, 2011—As the Palestinian Authority’s bid for statehood at the UN attracted the world’s attention throughout September, OneVoice youth activists Obada Shtaya and Eyal Shapira grabbed local headlines of their own on OneVoice’s Washington, DC speaking tour.

Eyal and Obada spoke throughout the Washington area from September 16 - 23, meeting with senior White House officials, members of the State Department, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as speaking with students on campuses at George Washington University, American University, Gallaudet University, District of Columbia University and Georgetown University.

Read the coverage in the Washington Diplomat and the Washington Jewish Week.

OneVoice activists respond to campus polarization in run-up to PA’s UN Bid

OneVoice youth leader Eyal Shapira addressing students’ questions following the presentation at Gallaudet University.

New York, September 30, 2011—Standing on a platform at Gallaudet University days before the Palestinian Authority took their statehood bid to the UN, Eyal Shapira, an Israeli, and Obada Shtaya, a Palestinian, recounted their personal narratives as interpreters translated their stories into sign language for the 40 person deaf audience.

Eyal, 25, and Obada, 20, brought the seldom represented voices of average Israelis and Palestinians to American students, policymakers and the media during OneVoice’s Washington, DC speaking tour. Engaging with hundreds of students, they led discussions at American University, Gallaudet University, Georgetown University, George Washington University and University of the District of Columbia.

As the debate continues about the American response to the PA’s UN bid, the project of highlighting Israeli and Palestinian voices of moderation becomes even more important as a means of tempering polarization and conveying national ambitions.

“Americans sometimes take positions without knowing the facts,” said Eyal to a full room at American University. “That is why we [have] come here. And what we are trying to deliver to you is that you don’t have to be pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian — you can be pro-peace, pro-agreement [and] pro-OneVoice.”

Recurrent throughout their tour was their appeal for pragmatism and negotiations in the face of increasingly unilateral diplomatic actions.

“Support an agreement, do not support either side,” implored Obada to 75 students gathered at George Washington University.

Eyal and Obada were welcomed on campuses by a wide variety of student groups representing diverse views, including co-sponsorship with UDC’s Muslim Law Students’ Association, the Georgetown Conflict Resolution Association, Georgetown Hillel, Amnesty International, J Street U and others — highlighting the common demand for moderate voices and pragmatic negotiations.

Their voices were clearly well received; as the session at Gallaudet University ended and some students began making their way to their next class, an eager handful remained behind to talk privately with Eyal and Obada about the situation and what they can do on campus.

“The conversation was useful to show the GW student body that when it comes to this issue, being pro-Israeli and being pro-Palestinian is not zero sum,” said Rory Silver, president of J Street U at GW. “You can be both and at the end of the day it is pro-Israeli to be pro-Palestinian and vice versa.”

OneVoice youth leader Obada Shtaya speaking to students at American University about the difficult compromises needed to end the conflict.

Al-Jazeera English Interviews OneVoice CEO Howard Sumka

New York, September 27, 2011—Al-Jazeera English interviewed OneVoice CEO Howard Sumka on Friday about the Palestinian UN bid, US threats to cut aid to the Palestinian Authority, and the effects on the two-state solution.

The video is provided courtesy of Al-Jazeera English.

OneVoice and top Israeli figures urge bold Israel response beyond UN vote

OneVoice Israel's Tal Harris challenges crowd outside Tel Aviv's Independence Hall to at least consider how a Palestinian state can bolster the two-state solution.

New York, September 22, 2011—Top Israeli cultural figures participated in OneVoice Israel’s event outside Tel Aviv’s Independence Hall on Thursday to encourage a bold Israeli response beyond this week’s anticipated UN showdown.

Hundreds crowded Rothschild Boulevard to hear several Israel Prize laureates, including Joseph Aggasi, Yehuda Bauer and David Harel, and prominent writers such as Sefi Rachlevsky and Yoram Kaniuk state their case in support of recognizing a Palestinian state to pave the way for negotiations. Also on hand were former Ambassadors Alon Liel and Ilan Baruch, Knesset members Nitzan Horowitz, Zahava Gal-On, and Dov Khenin, and Tel Aviv City Council Chair Yael Dayan.

“Recognition of a Palestinian state based on the ’67 border with agreed upon territorial exchanges counters the notion of a bi-national state and preserves the nature of Israel,” said OneVoice Israel Executive Director Tal Harris. “Israel’s support would also spoil any effort to delegitimize or internationally isolate us.”

OneVoice Israel also launched their online campaign this week, buoyed by the strong support from members of Israel’s elite, asking Israelis to consider the potential benefits of a Palestinian state existing alongside Israel in peace and security.

Online teaser advertisements on popular Web site Walla received widespread exposure and engaged around 40,000 people. “By providing an online space for citizens to openly voice their support or opposition for the UN vote and talk about it, we managed to involve them directly in the process,” said Harris. All for Peace radio has also been running radio spots produced by OneVoice Israel.

Continuing with the effort to involve Israeli citizens in shaping the national response to the UN vote and especially the aftermath, OneVoice Israel will invite the public on October 11 to join 50 roundtables, led by an equal number of high profile figures, in an unprecedented conversation about the conflict.

“In a nutshell, we believe that Israel can leverage the Palestinian motion and pin down the principle of two-states-for-two-people, which has been a central objective of present and past Israeli governments,” said Reut Institute President Gidi Grinstein, who will be one of the moderators at the event.

OneVoice’s office in Palestine also launched a campaign across the West Bank to support the Palestinian bid with the primary intent to mobilize thousands of Palestinians behind the two-state solution. Their activities will lay the basis for nonviolent and constructive responses in the aftermath of the vote.

Whether the UN vote comes to pass or not, OneVoice Israel’s focus will remain on rallying Israelis to demand their leaders present a bold Israeli peace plan and immediately return to negotiations.

“We have no alternatives but to pursue the two-state solution to guarantee peace, security and prosperity for Israel,” said Harris. “We need our leaders to negotiate a historic agreement that enables Israel and the new State of Palestine to exist side by side and start building a brighter future for all of us.”

Tel Aviv City Council Chair Yael Dayan at OneVoice Israel's event on Thursday states her case in support of recognizing a Palestinian state to pave the way for negotiations.

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Listen to the radio story broadcast by PRI’s The World.

Read the story published in Haaretz.