OneVoice Blog, Empowering Israeli and Palestinian Citizens Against Violent Extremism

Another town hall meeting in Gaza

Yesterday, OneVoice Gaza organized a town hall meeting in Gaza City with the residents of al-Ziton neighborhood. The meeting's message was one of support to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas telling him to continue negotiations with the state of Israel, in order to reach a comprehensive framework agreement with Israel. More than 50 participants attended the meeting.

The participants agreed that the negotiations should be the only path toward ending the occupation, but also expressed some hopelessness regarding the prospects for successful negotiations.  Ezzeldin Masri, OV Gaza's Director of Outreach, responded by saying that the leaders in Israel have realized that a two state solution is in Israel's best interest also, and that many of the political party leaders want to reach a compromise with the Palestinian leaders based on this framework.

Mowaffaq Alami, Executive Director of OV Gaza, spoke about the benefits that real peace will bring Palestinians, and the need to reach an agreement within this year.

2018: a peek into the contest in Israel

The imagine: 2018 essay contest launched in Israel a few weeks ago - working through the Israeli Ministry of Education, municipalities throughout the country, individual teachers and schools, various youth movements, and an internet forum called Tapuz to reach out to youth aged 13-17 for the contest.

Strong submissions have already started coming in from around Israel, expressing a vision of what Israel could be like ten years from now if there were peace.

One striking feature of many of these essays is the way that the students are conceiving of Israel as an active and integrated part of a regional community - that for many young Israelis, one of the most desirable things about a future peace is the idea of Israel working with - rather than fighting against - its neighbors.

About another month remains of the contest in Israel, and we're looking forward to reading the submissions as they come in. 

To read more about the contest in English, please visit www.imagine2018.org.

To read more about it in Hebrew, or to submit your essay, please visit www.onevoice.org.il/2018.shtml.

imagine: 2018 in Palestine - Submissions are in!

The last of the essay submissions for the imagine: 2018 contest in Palestine are in! 

The Palestinian Ministry of Education, with whom OneVoice Palestine is partnering to adminsiter the contest, received almost 2000 essays in total, from students aged 13-17 at public, private, and UNRWA schools throughout the West Bank. 

Representatives from the Minsitry noted that it is amazing that children responded with such passion to the contest, given the difficult situation on the ground these past few months.  They were asked to write about a vision of peace and independence that they have never experienced for themselves.

OneVoice will be announcing the 50 winning essayists later in the spring. 

In the mean time, on the Israeli side, OneVoice Israel is facilitating a similar contest for Israeli schools. 

Learn more about both contests at www.imagine2018.org. 

World Health Day in Ramallah

As a means of introducing OV to the Palestinian people, OneVoice Palestine's youth leaders organized a day of public outreach in Ramallah for World Health Day.

OVP staff and volunteers today visited  the hospitals, health centers and rehabilitation centers in Ramallah holding a basket full of green apples, referencing  the proverb “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” They handed out the apples and OneVoice brochures to all the doctors, nurses, patients, and families.

The green apples represent health in the world, and drew a smile on the faces of all who the volunteers met. It was such a small action, but it was a great way to reach out to normal citizens and let them know about the other work that OneVoice is doing in Palestine.

... and MORE from Gaza

Today OneVoice Gaza continued its Town Hall campaign with a meeting in North Gaza, attended by about 60 activists from Jabaliya Refugee Camp and Beit Lahia city. 

The meetings focus on introducing OneVoice and ts methodology, and on gathering support for a two state solution, ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state at peace with Israel.  Participants told our Directors there that this was the first time they had heard such ideas discussed publicly in Gaza, and congratulated them on their brave decision to continue public activities in Gaza.  The majority asked to become active members of the Movement.