OneVoice Movement

Political Progress Requires Steady Grassroots Support

The Sharm el-Sheikh summit earlier this week reawakened hopes that, after 54 long months of despair, the Israeli and Palestinian people may finally seize back the agenda for conflict resolution away from forces of militant extremism.  But the road ahead is fraught with minefields.  The task of citizens now turns to ensuring they provide a strong grassroots mandate to their political leaders and block radical minorities with absolutist visions from engaging in campaigns of terror and dehumanization that would derail the process yet again.

Political progress is encouraging but it cannot be taken for granted or overstated.  The mistake that citizens have repeated time and again is to stay at home, and do nothing but wait for the political leaders to deliver on their expectations.  In the meantime, those threatened by prospects of having their maximalist ambitions shattered as the humanity and rights of the other side is acknowledged, redouble their efforts to derail peace negotiations, and resort to terror and dehumanization to achieve it.  Terrorists determined to destroy Israel resort to killing innocent civilians and undermining negotiations.  Militant settlers determined not to leave the Gaza strip threaten to kill the Prime Minister and beat up Israeli soldiers dismantling illegal outposts.  In a perverse partnership, militant settlers sometimes aid terrorists and vice-versa.  Last week militant settlers punctured the tires of Palestinian guards that were seeking to coordinate with the IDF on how to eradicate missile attacks into Sderot.

In the past, inaction on the part of the overwhelming but silent majority of moderates in the face of passionate mobilization by minorities of extremists lead to the death of the peace process.  It happened with the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin.  But it also happened more recently with the resignation of Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas in the summer of 2003.  While militants were undermining him and de-legitimizing him, ordinary citizens were not expressing their support, isolating him and prompting him to resign.  We as citizens cannot permit this situation to repeat itself.  We must provide a strong base of support to propel Sharon and Abu Mazen to achieve positive change.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE ONEVOICE MOVEMENT AFTER SHARM EL SHEIKH SUMMIT?

The OneVoice movement will continue engaging Israeli and Palestinian citizens and their international supporters to stand up firmly against extremism and provide a strong mantle of legitimacy for their leaders to pursue a historic settlement of the conflict.  Our focus will continue along the four phases for civic engagement:

·         Connection – to recruit citizens to pledge to be active against extremism

·         Citizen Negotiations – to educate the public about the issues, to encourage all segments of society to participate in a civic debate on the issues, to give them ownership over the process, and ultimately to provide political leaders a grassroots mandate for conflict resolution

·         Leadership Development – training up to 1,000 Israeli and Palestinian youth as core activists to organize their communities, build a human infrastructure & act as Ambassadors for nonviolent change

·         Activation – organizing public events and communication campaigns that help amplify the voice of the people and highlight the will of millions for a resolution of the conflict.

This Month's Focus: OneVoice-Israel Activism

Last month we reported on how the Palestinian branch of OneVoice and hundreds of volunteers organized themselves to help get-out-the-vote, distributing over 100,000 brochures encouraging participatory democracy, airing Public Service Announcements that were viewed by millions, and organizing democracy festivals and caravans across eight major cities that were attended by tens of thousands. http://blog.onevoicemovement.org/one_voice/2005/01/index.html

This month we provide a glimpse to some of the Israeli OneVoice activities over this last month.  Whereas Palestinian efforts focused on democratization (which is key to ensuring accountability to the will of the moderate majority), Israeli efforts center around bringing in citizens from diverse and opposing sectors of society to try to achieve consensus through civic negotiations.  Many in Israel are worried about the fissures in society from the impending withdrawal from Gaza.  OneVoice is providing a framework to achieve consensus among broad segments of society.

OneVoice-Israel Internet Voting Campaign: 64% of 44,000 voters support renewed negotiations; 5,722 new OV members sent personal message to Knesset and PM Sharon

The Israeli branch of OneVoice launched in late December an interactive poll asking Israelis whether it was time to go back to the negotiating table.  The interactive poll released instant results to voters and also allowed interested citizens to send a message to their government representatives.  Of 44,000 participants, 64% supported renewing negotiations with the new Palestinian leadership, 33% were against it, and 3% were ambivalent. Thirteen percent of all participants –  5,722 - chose to join the OneVoice movement and send a personalized message to the Knesset and to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon supporting a return to negotiations with the new Palestinian leadership. 

            The ad campaign ran on YNET and NRG, two of the leading news sites in Israel.  It was supplemented by a campaign of op-ed pieces and by a viral email campaign.

Young members of OV Israeli Leadership Council organize Town Hall Meetings from Sderot to the Galilee and establish chapters across different cities and Universities after practical training from Dr. Peleg

            Following on practical training that they had received from Dr. Samuel “Muli” Peleg, dozens of Israeli members of the OneVoice Leadership Council began executing on events in their own regions. The OV Leadership program emphasizes practical training and skill development to empower a core group of talented young leaders to organize their communities towards non-violent conflict resolution and civic engagement against extremism.  As they receive public speaking, community organization, field outreach and effective media communications training, participants must adopt and implement concrete projects in their communities.

            Students have set up OV branches at most Israeli Universities, including in Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beersheva, and Hertzliyah.  Representatives set stands and distribute materials to recruit new members to become citizen negotiators.  Eventually they organize voting events and organize themselves.

            The Israeli and Palestinian Leadership Councils have began consulting with each other and have plans to meet periodically.

On February 4^th an event at Beit Berl in Kfar Saba was organized by Dima Yarmanko Rositzky. OneVoice Honorary Board member Matan Vilnai, a ranking leader of the Labor party, and Russian author and artist David Markish were guest speakers. Dozens of Russian Israelis were recruited by Dima to join the movement.

A small but symbolically important workshop was also held in Sderot, the site of recent missile attacks, at Sapir college.  Assaf Shmueli, a Sabre who comes from the south and is determined to “go against the image,” became a social activist because he is determined to “break the stigma and demonstrate that Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation is sought by all Israelis.”

Ohad Paran is a young pioneer in his early 20s that moved from Raanana to the Hararit Moshav in the Upper Galilee to reach out to communities that had not been exposed to OV.  He worked very hard to organize an event that would have brought Israeli Arab and Jewish citizens from diverse parties, including the Likud Mayor and other leaders from Labor, together for a town hall meeting.  And yet the event was poorly attended.  “That is when I recognized we have a phenomenal leader in this young man,” said Dr. Muli Peleg.  “In the face of this adversity, due to circumstances beyond his control, instead of giving up he rose above it and increased his efforts and is now planning a far bigger event, learning from past mistakes, and reaching out to far more people.”

Challenging the notion that this conflict is Left Vs. Right or Israeli vs. Palestinian

“A practical right winger,” a Jabotinsky Revisionist, an Israeli Yemenite with a brother who was severely injured in Gush Katif and has “never belonged to the Peace movement industry”, and a “fervent Zionist” are among the members of the OneVoice Israeli Leadership Council that shatter misconceptions about the nature of the conflict and highlight that OV belongs to the vast majority of Israelis and Palestinians.

            One of the gravest problems of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the way it has been defined.  Up through the early 1990’s, it arguably still used to be a conflict pitying Palestinians against Israelis.  Until a few years ago, possible solutions to the conflict arguably divided those on the Israeli right versus those on the Israeli left.  But certainly over the last 4 years, the conflict has been transformed to one where the overwhelming majority of Israelis and Palestinians are ready to achieve a two-state solution and the barrier is now a tiny minority of militant extremists with absolutist visions that are intent on denying the humanity of the other side and will resort to terror and dehumanization to achieve their visions.

            A resolution to the conflict requires that we reframe it in the proper context.  And to do so the work of “peacemaking” must belong to all Israelis and Palestinians, save for a tiny minority that will end up being neutralized and discouraged by their communities from pursuing inflexible visions.

            OneVoice on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides has emphasized a broad umbrella overall and in particular on its Youth Leadership Council.  Here is a brief sample of Israelis from “the right” that are committed to working through OneVoice against violent extremism.

* Ari Applebaum is a religious Jew from Jerusalem. He is a senior staff member of WUJS- World Union of Jewish Students and headed a delegation of protest to the International Court at Hague when Palestinian claims against the Wall were deliberated. As a “practical right winger”, he finds One Voice as the suitable platform to bridge misunderstandings between Palestinians and Israelis.

            * Chen Katzir is an Israeli who grew up in the United States due to her parents’ work. She works at the Ministry of Absorption and she came back to Israel holding uncompromising positions regarding the conflict. After living in Israel for three years she gradually recognized that Israel must partner with moderate citizens on the other side, “if they exist.” She is still skeptical and distrusts intentions of the Palestinian leadership, but is eager to build bridges with the people on the ground.

* Hilla Russo is a litigator. She comes from a long lineage of Revisionists and exponents of the Greater Israel philosophy. She admires Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as one of Israel’s greatest leaders, who put their nation ahead of themselves. However, she thinks that had Jabotinski lived today, he would have been the first to recognize a Palestinian State. It’s her first time as an activist but she is firm in her willingness to contribute to a better future.

* Lilach Dahoch is an Israeli Yemenite. Her brother was severely injured in Gush Katif by a terrorist who exploded himself. Even today her brother walks with pieces of metal in his legs. This personal trauma did not sway Lilach from her staunch belief that a resolution can and must be reached with the Palestinian people. She never belonged to the “Peace Movements industry,” but in her desire to understand the other side and to alter the incentives and beliefs so that people will work to prevent the “terrible violence,” she decided to join One Voice. 

* Marisa Kushnir is an American-born Israeli who volunteers at the Women's Electoral Power organization. She came to Israel alone at a very young age to fulfill the Zionist dream of Israel as a vibrant and secure homeland for the Jewish people. When her brother joined her a decade later he joined the IDF to defend Israel.  While she admires her brother’s quest, she recognized that “force alone is not sufficient” and that an alternative path must be found to channel citizens towards nonviolent but concrete means towards reconciliation.

OV Materials Available: Posters, Banners, Pins, Invitations, Brochures, Voting Ballots – in Arabic, in English, in Hebrew, and in Russian

If you need Posters, Banners, Pins, Invitations, Brochures or Voting Ballots, email the following team member to get them and specify if you need them in Arabic, English, Hebrew or Russian.

In Israel: raniat@pe1.org.il

In Palestine: coordinator@onevoice-palestine.org

In the US (and for all international branches*): darya@silentnolonger.org

Local materials are available in some of the international branches but contact the US office for coordination.

Should we have a counter demonstration?

The big demonstration around the Knesset building in Jerusalem yesterday boasted some impressive numbers of people protesting against disengagement. But the big crowd was composed of mainly settlers and religious people. The silent majority, who supports the Sharon initiative, remained silent. Should the majority be mobilized into action as a counter weight to the settlers' show of force? Should the confrontation be expedited in order to quell down the settlers at an early stage, or should the majority remain idle to prevent a premature escalation? It's a tough call, and it's crucial.

Dr. Muli Peleg

One Voice Israel