OneVoice Movement

Women’s Issues Take Center Stage on Capitol Hill

OneVoice’s Rachel Steinberg moderates a panel discussion about women's human rights issues and women’s roles in promoting peace in Israel and Palestine on Capitol Hill June 4. Photo courtesy of Congresswoman Johnson's office. 

By Rachel Steinberg*

History has shown that the viability of peace agreements is an uphill battle - nearly half fail within their first decade of being signed. Faced with this daunting statistic, conflict resolution theorists and practitioners are tasked with hypothesizing around how to ensure a sustainable, lasting peace. Many draw the same conclusion: a framework for sustainable peace must include women in the process.

On Tuesday, June 4, I moderated a panel on Capitol Hill entitled, “Moving Forward: Addressing Challenges to Promoting Israeli-Palestinian Peace.” The panel discussion, hosted by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, focused on challenges to women’s rights and empowerment in Israel and Palestine and the effect these challenges have on the peace process. I was honored to be invited to moderate amongst a distinguished group of speakers: Salwa Duaibis (Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling, Ramallah), Lior Finkel (Israeli Director, Peace NGO Forum), Tania Hary (Gisha), and Betty Herschman (Ir Amim).

Congresswoman Johnson began the “A World of Women for World Peace” initiative in 2001 to bring greater visibility to the women who are victims of war and aggression and the women who facilitate peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding activities in their communities.

As I prepared for this panel, at the forefront of my mind was the theory that more inclusive peace processes have a significantly increased chance of resulting in long-term sustainable peace. I know this not only because I am a conflict resolution practitioner, but because this is a guiding principal of OneVoice’s work to empower average Israelis and Palestinians to play a role in building peace and take an active role in the peace process.

Further, OneVoice works to engage marginalized parts of Israeli and Palestinian societies. This is evident in OneVoice Palestine’s Women of Influence training program, designed to empower, inspire, and activate Palestinian women to be business, civic, and political leaders, as well as to play an active leadership role in OneVoice’s efforts to end the occupation and achieve the two-state solution.

I felt the significance of this program as the panelists highlighted some of the unique challenges and violations of rights that women face in Israel and Palestine. They spoke about the challenges that the occupation and conflict impact, including access to education, family, healthcare, and politics; further, these issues greatly impact women.

Tania Hary also focused on the restrictions of movement for Gazans that prevent women from advancing their education and from being able to run businesses, and Salwa Duaibis pointed out that the biggest challenge women in the West Bank face to addressing their rights are the many and complex legal systems that prevent justice around issues like custody of children and violence against women.

As a result of these challenges and many others across Israel and Palestine, there is also a lack of women’s voices in positions of leadership. These organizations work to address these issues through education (local and international) about rights and violations, advocacy, legal aid, and service provision. I was incredibly inspired by the work that these organizations do not only on behalf of women, but on behalf of the societies as a whole.

I was struck by the panelists repeatedly pointing out the disproportionate effect that prolonged occupation and conflict have on women (and children). A common thread that several of the panelists raised was the fact that women are in a vulnerable position regarding violations of rights as a result of settlement expansion, which inhibits progress toward the two-state solution, and the resulting tension, violence, lack of service provision, and deterioration of socioeconomic opportunities.

To me, this points all the more to the need for women to have a voice in society AND at the negotiating table, both to address their unique needs and to speak on behalf of their societies as a whole. I’m proud that women are at the forefront of OneVoice Israel and OneVoice Palestine’s political activism to halt the growth of these negative facts and the ground and to end the conflict, as leaders and participants.

I was encouraged by something that Betty Hirschman pointed out - while there is still a long way to go to improve the human rights conditions of women, in this past January’s Israeli elections, there were more women elected to progressive parties than ever before. As a result, there is increasingly fertile ground for results to come from advocacy on issues impacting women.

Additionally, as Lior Finkel mentioned, in the last round of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations there were only two women in key positions in the negotiating teams - Hanan Ashrawi and Tzipi Livni. I believe that the empowerment OneVoice and the other organizations represented on the panel provides young women, as well as these positive steps within institutions, can change that level of representation as long as we all embrace our responsibility to push for them.

It was incredibly important for me to take part in such a conversation on Capitol Hill, to ensure that this discussion reached not only the ears of American citizens but also that of American decision makers. As the American policymaking community focuses its efforts on reviving the negotiations process, it is the responsibilities of all stakeholders to hear these messages and ensure that women have a seat at the table.

*Rachel Steinberg is the International Engagement Program Director at OneVoice.

Panelists (left to right) Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (organizer), Salwa Duaibis, Tania Hary, and Betty Herschman, with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. Photo courtesy of Congresswoman Johnson's office. 

Wasim Almasri: OVP communications officer talks IEP tour

From March 3-11, OneVoice Palestine communications officer and activist Wasim Almasri took part in the International Engagement Program's Washington, D.C. tour. Wasim had the opportunity to speak to political and religious communities during his stay and told us about his experience.

OneVoice: You studied in the U.S. for several years. What was it like to be back after living in Palestine for so long?

Wasim: I haven't been back since I left Truman College (Chicago) with my computer science degree in 2006. It's nice to travel outside of Palestine for a change; I haven't been granted a pass to leave the West Bank by the Israelis for a long time. It's nice to see the outside world, but now I see it with different lenses on. When I was in Chicago, I wasn't very involved in politics. Now, I am a father and improving quality of life for my daughters and my people is very important to me, so it increases my involvement in politics.

As a student, I saw the U.S. as the land of opportunity. As a politically active Palestinian, I see the U.S. as the mediator that should be an honest and sincere broker for the peace process. It's good to be here, but I can't wait to be back home and share my experience.

OneVoice: What was the reception like in Washington? How did the government officials and community members you met with greet you and what you had to say to them?

Wasim: I believe some people were surprised to hear a narrative they never heard before [the Palestinian narrative], but open to listening to what I had to say. The meetings were informative very valuable in terms of what the American public's vision is of the conflict and how they see a final agreement to the conflict and it ending. The government officials were very, very anxious to hear from the grassroots.

I think I had the most impact on the interfaith groups. They come from a community that is already doing peace building on their own. It motivates them to see us doing our work on the ground, and it motivates us to see them doing the same in the U.S. I know that the majority of Americans don't know the Palestinian narrative; the media shows certain things on the subject or moves on to other topics they think is more important. However, we must continue to do so in the face of such silence.

OneVoice: Why is it important for President Obama and Secretary Kerry to visit the region now, and how can that impact a potential return to the peace process? What should Palestinians say to the president when he arrives in the region?

Wasim: First, the people need a spark of hope, especially with mistrust between Israel and Palestine. The status quo is not making it easier for the Palestinians, particularly socially and economically. After the Israeli elections, we are thinking about a future Palestinian presidential election. The timing is important for Obama. He needs to leave a legacy for the next president, and Kerry has been working on this issue for a while and is passionate about it.

While in Palestine, Obama should acknowledge the work of civil society and their role in peace building, but there is no doubt that these organizations will continue their work even if conflict is not solved. The youth leaders want a push by the Americans so they can give them extra motivation to do their work.

OneVoice: Can you take what you already know and what you learned about these American audiences and use it in ways to push for peace in the occupied Palestinian territories? Does what you learned give you additional momentum to do what you do every day in Ramallah?

Wasim: Coming into this tour, I was unsure what the reception would be from the audiences here in the U.S. I was expecting ignorance, but the reception was great and the tour went really well. I was always going to come home and do the work I was going to do, but it's nice to see we have civil society supporters in America working within their role in peace building and using their position to influence policy. I enjoyed hearing everyone's perspectives and having the opportunity to deliver a personal experience to Americans, putting a face to the numbers or statistics that they don't normally see.

State of the Union fails to stress peace process

Last night, President Obama told the nation his vision for the coming year.

We are disappointed that the president did not mention a plan to pursue a return to negotiations between the Israeli and Palestinian leadership. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict MUST be a priority for this administration. The United States has a responsibility to leverage its leadership role in the Middle East to push both sides to do what is necessary to get serious negotiations back on track. Not only is regional peace in the Middle East vital to American national security and foreign policy interests, but the two-state solution remains the only pragmatic, mutually acceptable solution that can guarantee justice, peace, equality, and security for all.

We at OneVoice have pushed for the United States to take the lead and resume talks since September. We must show the president that we are serious.

OneVoice Israel and OneVoice Palestine are committed to building political and grassroots capacity to bring both parties back to the table and ensure a viable, effective negotiations process with a clear plan and a limited time frame that will fulfill the national aspirations of both peoples. We, as the international community in support of a two-state solution, must amplify these calls.

The president must speak directly to the people on his upcoming trip to the Middle East. We urge him to make the peace process the centerpiece of his visit and address the majority of both populations who support the two-state solution.

We URGE you to make your voice heard and SIGN OneVoice’s petition before we deliver it to the administration in Washington, D.C. in one month’s time ahead of the president’s trip in March.

If you, too, are disheartened with the lack of clarity and action, it is your duty to let the president know how you feel. Sign our petition and tell President Obama that he needs to put the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the top of his foreign policy agenda.

Spread the word – forward this message to five friends who share our commitment to the two-state solution and an end to the conflict.

You can also support OneVoice by making a donation, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Twitter.

President Obama must prioritize two-state solution in State of the Union tonight

Tonight, President Obama will speak to the American people about domestic and international issues in the annual State of the Union address.

We call on President Obama to listen to the voices of Israelis, Palestinians, and Americans, who are clamoring for a return to negotiations and for American leadership to bring the two sides together.

The efforts of OneVoice youth leaders and the thousands of Israelis and Palestinians who organize and attend town hall meetings, engage politicians, and take to the streets to end the occupation, the conflict, and achieve a two-state solution, demonstrates that peace is possible.

We ask that when President Obama outlines his foreign policy agenda tonight, he prioritizes a return to serious negotiations and leverages his leadership to focus on ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Since September, OneVoice has petitioned the president to act swiftly and purposely on this pressing issue. The president recognizes the need to bring the parties back to the table, but he needs to hear from YOU that this is an urgent priority with wide-spread support.

In a month’s time, we will deliver our petition to the administration – right before the president’s trip to the Middle East. If you prioritize peace and if you think the people should have a voice, then support our youth leaders, sign our petition, and make your voice heard!  Add your name to the petition and share it widely with your networks.

Make sure this visit isn’t just a photo-op, but lays out a concrete path forward to reignite the peace process. Help us ensure that President Obama commits to achieving the two-state solution in this term.

Sign the petition now!

Want to do more?

1) Like us on Facebook
2) Follow us on Twitter
3) Make a donation

 

Peace activism knows no bounds during NoCal IEP tour

Betty Portje, 99, shares her perspectives on the conflict and efforts to end it as OVP youth leader Obada Shtaya looks on.

New York, November 22, 2012 – “We are seniors, we are passionate about peace in the world, [and] we have common cause in our desire for peace.”

This was the message that Helen Anderson, a member of the Mill Valley Seniors for Peace, shared on the first day of the International Engagement Program’s Northern California tour even amidst the devastating escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians.

Based at the Redwoods Retirement Community, Mill Valley Seniors for Peace members’ average age is 87, and they are every bit as vigorous and motivated as youth leaders Obada Shtaya, 21, of OneVoice Palestine and Shai Parnes, 30, of OneVoice Israel.  The youth leaders expressed that the violence thousands of miles away increased the urgency to end the conflict, and they fed off the vast experience, knowledge, and immense encouragement from Redwoods throughout the entire tour.

Obada and Shai work tirelessly for the two-state solution and a permanent end to the conflict in Palestine and Israel, respectively. Both stressed that the two-state solution is a pragmatic approach and provides the best opportunity for realizing both group’s nationalistic goals for current and future generations. There is also agreement that the U.S. must leverage its influence more effectively and provide an environment for viable and just negotiations.

“We want a new era of peace and prosperity, and if the U.S. decides to fairly and justly intervene in the conflict tomorrow, it would only be beneficial to Palestinians and Israelis,” said Obada. “We are not paying lip-service to the two-state solution; we’re actually working on ways to get this going. The U.S. has a responsibility to solve this, too.”

Likewise, Shai repeatedly asked audience members to reflect on their own outlooks and feelings toward the parties involved in the conflict, including the U.S.

“You have to ask yourself what it really means to be pro-one side or the other,” Shai said. “I think both of us [Obada and I] can agree that we are pro-solution. As an Israeli, I hope that America uses its power to help Israel become a better place to live in.”

The remainder of the tour saw itself in more familiar surroundings. Students from UC Davis, San Francisco State, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Universities made up the rest of the audiences. A wide variety of student associations, religious and activist organizations, and academic departments partnered with OneVoice: Muslim, Jewish, and multi-faith groups, along with political science and international relations departments, and educational organizations like the Olive Tree Initiative, took part.

The questions from the audience members focused on several key issues, from Israeli and Palestinian public opinion to settlements to the Palestinian U.N. non-member status bid.

“The only face of Israel that [Palestinians] see is the occupation,” said Obada at UC Davis. “If [Israel] freezes the settlements, to give us a sign that ‘we are not building anymore on your land and we’re willing to give you this state which is now yours,’ that is a step in the right direction. I hope the U.N. members will support our efforts and we believe that this is a multilateral, not a unilateral move, and it is very essential to go back to negotiations.”

When asked about the average Israeli’s perception of the conflict, Shai answered candidly that many do not live it on a daily basis, but become acutely aware when hostility escalates.

“The majority of Israelis don’t normally feel the effects of the conflict, except when there is an uptick in violence,” said Shai at SFSU. “When this happens, the public stays home, they are afraid to go to shopping centers, to go on buses. People in Israel say there is no partner, but I know for a fact that there is one on the other side. We [at OneVoice] are waking people up.”

Tomorrow’s U.S. presidential election provides opportunity to take responsibility

New York, November 5, 2012–There is no greater privilege in a democracy than choosing one’s leaders. It is an opportunity for all of us as individuals to play our part in the political process. Tomorrow’s U.S. elections are fundamentally about our rights and our responsibilities as citizens. 

We are a Movement committed to empowering every individual to take action and create the necessary change to achieve a two-state solution. Our Israeli and Palestinian youth leaders work tirelessly to connect the grassroots with their leaders and begin to build a better future. For those of us in the international community who are passionate about ending the conflict, we must seize every opportunity to tell our leaders to prioritize Middle East peace and the two-state solution. 

The OneVoice Movement encourages our supporters to do the following:

1) If you are American, make sure you vote tomorrow! Each voice is important and plays a role in shaping the future!

2) Raise your voice and share your opinion about the issues that you are passionate about. Sign our petition, telling President Obama and Governor Romney to prioritize the two-state solution and a return to serious negotiations, and leave a comment telling us why this is so urgent.

3) Share the petition on your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media pages, and tell your friends to do the same!

Darya Shaikh, acting CEO of OneVoice, recently wrote an op-ed about the importance of grassroots work in Israel and Palestine and the role Americans have in helping to change the status quo. See below for her commentary.

***

The Threat of the Unchanged Middle East

*By Darya Shaikh

On Monday night, millions of Americans sat down in front of their televisions and watched the two U.S. presidential candidates go head to head for the very last time before Election Day. President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney faced off on foreign policy issues ranging from Iran and Libya to Afghanistan and China.

They spoke at length about 'the changing Middle East' and the threat it poses to the world. Yet despite overtures about strong leadership and upholding principles of peace, both candidates seemed to forget that one of the biggest threats in the Middle East today actually stems from the lack of change, that being the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Aside from a fleeting reference to the conflict, which you may have missed, neither candidate laid out concrete steps that could help get the Israeli and Palestinian peace process back on track. Neither the President nor Governor Romney seem to think that delivering a comprehensive and just two-state solution to the conflict is a U.S. priority.

The current stalemate and toxic status quo endangers not only the futures of the Israeli and Palestinian people but should be a grave concern to all of us, as Americans. Ending the conflict is -- as successive presidents have consistently affirmed -- a vital American national interest. Middle East stability is jeopardized by the ongoing conflict, and this affects a broad swath of U.S. political priorities, placing national security and the recovering economy in danger.

The American leadership, whomever is at the helm, has to be accountable to the thousands of Israelis and Palestinians who are waging peace every day. As the conflict continues to be used as a political football, tossed around by both parties in order to gain votes, it consequently grows increasingly disconnected from the voices and interests of Israelis and Palestinians, who are calling for strong American leadership to push the parties to take the necessary steps that will enable a return to serious negotiations, ending the conflict once and for all and ensuring a better future for millions.

There is so much unknown about the changing landscape of the region. However, what we do know is that every day that goes by without a two-state solution makes it harder and harder to achieve. The American government has been the broker of negotiations for decades. As such, it retains a moral imperative to serve as an honest, unwavering mediator, despite the current diplomatic challenges, which deserve not be minimized.

Ending the occupation and achieving the two-state solution based on the 1967 lines, in accordance with international resolutions and previous bilateral agreements, is the only viable, mutually acceptable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is the only solution that fulfills the national aspirations of both peoples by establishing an independent Palestinian state at peace with the State of Israel. This is a policy of vital interest to Israelis and Palestinians, as well as to Americans. Unfortunately, as negative facts continue to grow on the ground, we are witnessing the rapidly growing distance between the reality of the present, and the ideal of peace.

As American citizens, we have a responsibility too. We have a role to play in making sure that we close this divide. We need to tell whoever is elected that achieving the two-state solution must be a foreign policy priority. An excellent way to do this is by signing the petition that the OneVoice Movement's American network initiated. OneVoice is grassroots undertaking working in parallel in Israel and Palestine to build political and grassroots civic capacity to bring both parties back to the table and ensure a viable, effective negotiations process with clear terms of reference and a limited timeframe that will fulfill the national aspirations of both peoples. This petition crystalizes that work and asks Americans to get behind it.

OneVoice's Israeli activists recognize their role and mobilize in a different city each week, bringing residents and local politicians together to promote the two-state solution and countering the agenda of expanding settlements in the West Bank by calling for a settlement freeze. OneVoice's Palestinian activists embrace their role by leading community initiatives to transform frustration and hopelessness through non-violent activism. OneVoice Palestine pushes for national reconciliation and a two-state solution that ends the occupation, resolves all final status issues based on international resolutions, establishes an independent Palestinian state, and ends all claims.

Through this petition in the U.S., we can amplify the calls of OneVoice Israel for a settlement freeze and of OneVoice Palestine for a final status agreement that ends all claims, demanding that the American leadership -- whether Republican or Democrat -- commits itself to pushing this process forward.

We cannot substitute political rhetoric for effective policy towards conflict resolution in Israel and Palestine. We must seize back this conversation today so that President Obama and Governor Romney know that the majority of Israelis, Palestinians and Americans will not settle for anything less than real American leadership toward a just and lasting peace.

*Darya Shaikh is acting CEO of the OneVoice Movement. Her blog was originally published on The Huffington Post: http://huff.to/SiDBKH.

 

The Threat of the Unchanged Middle East

*By Darya Shaikh

On Monday night, millions of Americans sat down in front of their televisions and watched the two U.S. presidential candidates go head to head for the very last time before Election Day. President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney faced off on foreign policy issues ranging from Iran and Libya to Afghanistan and China.

They spoke at length about 'the changing Middle East' and the threat it poses to the world. Yet despite overtures about strong leadership and upholding principles of peace, both candidates seemed to forget that one of the biggest threats in the Middle East today actually stems from the lack of change, that being the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Aside from a fleeting reference to the conflict, which you may have missed, neither candidate laid out concrete steps that could help get the Israeli and Palestinian peace process back on track. Neither the President nor Governor Romney seem to think that delivering a comprehensive and just two-state solution to the conflict is a U.S. priority.

The current stalemate and toxic status quo endangers not only the futures of the Israeli and Palestinian people but should be a grave concern to all of us, as Americans. Ending the conflict is -- as successive presidents have consistently affirmed -- a vital American national interest. Middle East stability is jeopardized by the ongoing conflict, and this affects a broad swath of U.S. political priorities, placing national security and the recovering economy in danger.

The American leadership, whomever is at the helm, has to be accountable to the thousands of Israelis and Palestinians who are waging peace every day. As the conflict continues to be used as a political football, tossed around by both parties in order to gain votes, it consequently grows increasingly disconnected from the voices and interests of Israelis and Palestinians, who are calling for strong American leadership to push the parties to take the necessary steps that will enable a return to serious negotiations, ending the conflict once and for all and ensuring a better future for millions.

There is so much unknown about the changing landscape of the region. However, what we do know is that every day that goes by without a two-state solution makes it harder and harder to achieve. The American government has been the broker of negotiations for decades. As such, it retains a moral imperative to serve as an honest, unwavering mediator, despite the current diplomatic challenges, which deserve not be minimized.

Ending the occupation and achieving the two-state solution based on the 1967 lines, in accordance with international resolutions and previous bilateral agreements, is the only viable, mutually acceptable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is the only solution that fulfills the national aspirations of both peoples by establishing an independent Palestinian state at peace with the State of Israel. This is a policy of vital interest to Israelis and Palestinians, as well as to Americans. Unfortunately, as negative facts continue to grow on the ground, we are witnessing the rapidly growing distance between the reality of the present, and the ideal of peace.

As American citizens, we have a responsibility too. We have a role to play in making sure that we close this divide. We need to tell whoever is elected that achieving the two-state solution must be a foreign policy priority. An excellent way to do this is by signing the petition that the OneVoice Movement's American network initiated. OneVoice is grassroots undertaking working in parallel in Israel and Palestine to build political and grassroots civic capacity to bring both parties back to the table and ensure a viable, effective negotiations process with clear terms of reference and a limited timeframe that will fulfill the national aspirations of both peoples. This petition crystalizes that work and asks Americans to get behind it.

OneVoice's Israeli activists recognize their role and mobilize in a different city each week, bringing residents and local politicians together to promote the two-state solution and countering the agenda of expanding settlements in the West Bank by calling for a settlement freeze. OneVoice's Palestinian activists embrace their role by leading community initiatives to transform frustration and hopelessness through non-violent activism. OneVoice Palestine pushes for national reconciliation and a two-state solution that ends the occupation, resolves all final status issues based on international resolutions, establishes an independent Palestinian state, and ends all claims.

Through this petition in the U.S., we can amplify the calls of OneVoice Israel for a settlement freeze and of OneVoice Palestine for a final status agreement that ends all claims, demanding that the American leadership -- whether Republican or Democrat -- commits itself to pushing this process forward.

We cannot substitute political rhetoric for effective policy towards conflict resolution in Israel and Palestine. We must seize back this conversation today so that President Obama and Governor Romney know that the majority of Israelis, Palestinians and Americans will not settle for anything less than real American leadership toward a just and lasting peace.

*Darya Shaikh is acting CEO of the OneVoice Movement. Her blog was originally published on The Huffington Post: http://huff.to/SiDBKH.

Amro Brighith talks New York-metro tour

OneVoice Palestine's Amro Brighith speaks to students at Banana Kelly High School's buildOn program.

New York, October 18, 2012 – The second of the International Engagement Program’s three fall tours has come to an end. With stops in New York City and New Jersey behind him, OneVoice Palestine youth leader Amro Brighith took time out of his busy schedule to talk about his experience and what he hopes to achieve upon his return home.

OneVoice: Amro, thanks for talking with us today. What did you think of the tour and how did it go?

Amro: I thought it was really great. This tour allowed me to exercise my public speaking and English skills, and talk about the Movement with people of different backgrounds. Of course, it was great to visit the U.S. for the first time, to visit New York and see how people live here. I think it was a really successful tour.

OneVoice: Does the success of this tour increase your motivation and make you want to continue to do your work on the ground in Palestine?

Amro: It really does. I was motivated before I went on tour, but it makes me want to work more to change the situation and to end the occupation, and it increased my desire to continue my efforts for the two-state solution. I felt here that a lot of people don’t know that much about the conflict and how we live our daily lives. So, I’d love to work more to do what I have to do to change the situation for the better.

OneVoice: What will you tell your friends and family about your experiences here when you get back home? What will you tell them about the Americans you encountered?

Amro: I’ll tell them I had a great time and it was a really exciting experience. I’ll tell my family that the Americans I spoke to listened closely to my personal story and asked some great questions. After hearing what I had to say, these Americans wanted to get involved and help end the conflict, too. Seeing that makes this tour very worthwhile.

OneVoice: What was the most difficult question you faced?

Amro: Actually, it was a comment. An older woman said that the Palestinians deserved the whole land, back to the 1948 borders. That’s a very, very sensitive topic. I told her, “thank you for your comment, but at OneVoice we look toward the future and we agree on the 1967 borders as the basis for a Palestinian state.” It’s with difficult questions or comments like this where the Movement’s message must get through.

Or Kaner sees New York tour as a valuable experience

OneVoice Israel's Or Kaner speaking to a Rutgers-Newark class during the New York-metro tour.

New York, October 18, 2012 – With the second of the International Engagement Program’s fall tours in the books, OneVoice Israel’s Or Kaner gave us a behind-the-scenes look at his time in the New York-metro area. He sat down and talked to OneVoice about what he saw and heard from audiences members and why he would go on another tour in a heartbeat.

OneVoice: Hi, Or. It’s great to have you talk with us. Now that the tour is over, what can you say is the most memorable part of your experience in the States?

Or: It’s not when we were on a tour event, per say, but it was a great moment, nonetheless. I really liked when I heard Amro talking to his brother on the phone, telling him “this guy (me) is against settlements, he’s an ex-soldier and he’s cool.” I thought this was great to hear and I don’t think I will ever forget it.

OneVoice: Do you believe that you were able to make the audiences understand what you do on the ground and what needs to be done?

Or: I think so. I used a lot of buzz words; I tried to explain the situation using personal examples combined with other related and pragmatic examples from the Movement. Once I got into the flow of speaking with audience members, many from different backgrounds, I felt like I was influencing and seeing a change in them.

OneVoice: How can Americans help you achieve the two-state solution? What can they do here in the U.S.?

Or: First, they can help by pressing their leaders to pressure our leaders. Second, they have to believe in the two-state solution, and through this belief they can create their own chapters in their campuses, thinking together and creating a change within themselves. This is a moral obligation for all societies and especially for the United States, the strongest economic power in the world. The U.S. has done it before and I hope they can do it again.

OneVoice: Would you go on another tour again and why?

Or: Of course! It is a great experience: it improves your English, improves your self-esteem, and it feels great because you are reaching out to others. As a project manager, I interact with a lot of people, so working on a different continent and speaking with people of a different culture makes it really interesting and I would love to do it again.

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.