OneVoice Movement

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME?

Serious prospects for a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace are surfacing, and they could not come at a more important time, given the threats and challenges mounting to civilization on other fronts.  But history shows us that precisely when things start looking promising, moderates tune out and extremists passionately derail the hopes for reconciliation.  It behooves all concerned citizens to do their part.  Everyone can and must join as OneVoice against violent extremism and militant absolutism.  Encourage others to join the movement (as a member, a citizen negotiator, or a contributor): www.OneVoiceMovement.org.

PeaceWorks Foundation Honored with WANGO Peace, Security Award

The World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO) selected PeaceWorks Foundation as 2004 recipient of its Peace, Security and Reconciliation Award for conceiving the OneVoice movement.  WANGO has over 2,000 member organizations from more than 120 nations.  One of the world’s pre-eminent awards for NGOs, it “honors non-profit organizations from throughout the world that demonstrate exceptional effort, service, innovation and excellence” in pursuit of tolerance and peace-building.  Previous recipients include Nobel Peace Prize recipient H.E. Oscar Arias Sanchez’ Arias Foundation.  Last year’s recipient of one of the WANGO awards, the Green Belt Movement of Kenya founded in 1977 by Dr. Wangari Maathai, was this year’s recipient of the Nobel Peace prize.

Arab Media Praises OneVoice’s "Unprecedented Pro-Vote Effort in Palestine"

Al-Arabya, Al-Jazeera, MBC, Dubai TV, Iranian TV, local Palestinian stations and Palestinian National TV were among those covering OneVoice’s pro-vote campaign in Ramallah and Bethlehem.  Israeli Ch. 1, Al-Shams Radio, Ma’ariv’s NRG, Ynet and Ha’aretz also commented on OneVoice as the pre-eminent civil society organization getting-out-the-vote.

News footage showed people dancing and singing on the street, clapping from balconies, taking flyers and smiling.  In Bethlehem the Christmas atmosphere mixed with enthusiasm about the upcoming elections as an important step in Palestinian democratization.  "It's wonderful to see this bright picture on the street instead of shooting and throwing stones" said a 35 year old man.

Dear OneVoice Activists, Supporters and Believers

This is a word from "the field": there is a tremendous opportunity, a wind of change, that's currently unfolding in this embattled region. Recently, with new Palestinian leadership and a new moderate Israeli government, momentum has been shifted. The upcoming Palestinian elections coupled with the burgioning grassroot iniative of OneVoice Palestine and Israel to sieze the day and take back the agenda from the extremists created a unique juncture for progress. Now is the time OneVoice needs all the global encouragement and recognition possible. It is a Sisyphean task, but the mountain is getting smaller.

Dr. Muli Peleg, One Voice Israel Leadership Program

OneVoice Launches First-Ever Palestinian Get-Out-The-Vote Campaign

An intensive 17-day campaign featuring a “Caravan of Democracy” was launched on December 23rd in Ramallah to call on Palestinian citizens to participate in the upcoming elections, under the banner “Make Your Voice Count.”  A procession of cars and vans with OneVoice signs and loudspeakers emitting music and volunteers distributing balloons and pamphlets to thousands culminated with a folkloric dance in the city center.

A similar march followed in Bethlehem on December 24th, culminating in the Nativity Church Square, where volunteers released hundreds of balloons and doves from the municipality’s rooftop.

This first-ever Palestinian pro-vote campaign was organized by 6 full-time members of the OneVoice-Palestine staff and 123 volunteers.  New volunteers overwhelmed the OneVoice-Palestine office to offer to organize similar events throughout the West Bank and Gaza.  Additional deployments are planned, though limited by financial resource constraints.

Israeli Leadership Council Selects 36 Top Young Activists

The OneVoice Israeli Leadership Council was launched on Dec. 19 with 36 young leaders selected after a rigorous application process.   This program identifies, trains, and activates a cadre of talented and committed individuals to organize, recruit and mobilize ordinary citizens to join the OV movement and work towards a popular mandate for conflict resolution.

Members are proven leaders in their respective communities and fields, and reflect the diversity of Israel: secular and religious, predominantly Jews born in Israel but also respected young leaders from the Ethiopian, Russian and Arab Israeli communities. Activists include leaders in student, Zionist, religious, civil rights, and kibbutz movements, heads of associations, lawyers, a software engineer, advertising & communications executives, consultants, spokespeople, a reporter, business people, parliamentary assistants and young leaders from diverse parties including Shinui, Likud, and Labor.

Majority of Palestinians Oppose Terror against Israelis, first since October 2000

52% of Palestinians oppose acts of terror against Israelis, according to a poll by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center.  When OneVoice was conceived as many as 86% of Palestinians supported suicide bombings against civilians.  The number is still higher than prior to the breakout of the violent intifadah (on June 2000, only 14% supported such acts).  Support for negotiations with Israel increased from 45% last July to 69% today.  On the Israeli side, a recent Yediot poll found that 59% of the Israeli public is optimistic regarding the possibility of reaching a negotiated settlement with the new Palestinian leadership.  The trend is consistent with the philosophy of highlighting to both sides that force is not ever going to be a sufficient means to resolve this conflict or to defeat the other side, while providing a non-violent alternative that shows concrete potential.