OneVoice Movement

OneVoice Palestine launches youth leadership training program for 2013

Long-time OneVoice Palestine youth leader and current staff member, Mohammed Asideh, during an introductory training session in Nablus in January. 

OneVoice Palestine launched the 2013 Youth Leadership Program with an ambitious plan in mind: to reach 1,000 youth leaders by the end of this year.

Designed by OVP's youth leadership department, the program plans to engage new participants from 11 different cities in the West Bank through three newly created regional offices in Nablus, Jenin, and Bethlehem.

The program is designed to determine the readiness and willingness of the participants to move up in the program. Of the projected 1,000 new youth leaders, 500 will advance to receive basic leadership training, 100 will receive the advanced leadership training, and 40 will train as senior advanced leaders – the highest volunteer position – throughout 2013.

The program will provide basic leadership training through the first six months of 2013, focusing on topics such as communication skills, leadership skills, working within a team, and campaigning. There will also be an introductory session on the history of the conflict and the work of OneVoice since the Movement's inception. The youth leaders will benefit from these workshops, building their leadership skills and shaping their personalities to become active leading members in their own communities.

In January, OVP reached 191 new youth leaders – a one-month recruiting record. Citizens from all participating cities in the West Bank joined the introductory sessions and learned about OneVoice's message and the two-state solution. The sessions, conducted by OVP's senior youth leaders, also aimed to engage new recruits and create opportunities for OVP senior volunteers to lead introductory sessions.

"We are seeking to mobilize leading Palestinian youth through our progressive program," said Abdallah Hamarsheh, OVP's youth leadership program director. "The aim is to establish a nonviolent resistance base against the occupation and the Israeli settlement policies."

During the second half of 2013, OVP will move into advanced training with 100 volunteers from the basic training phase, tackling one topic each month until the end of the year. Topics will include public speaking, media, negotiation skills, and the conflict as seen through the Palestinian narrative.

January already proved to be a fantastic start to what appears to be a successful year for the youth leadership department in OVP. The team is very excited to move forward with the program and promote nonviolent activism among the Palestinian youth in the West Bank and Gaza. 

  

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

 

House of Lords discusses “remarkable” work of OneVoice

 

"We all owe them a debt of gratitude."

- Baroness Falkner of Margravine

 

By Anthony Silkoff

I was at the House of Lords on Thursday, 7 February, watching from the public gallery as they debated, for the first time ever, the role of civil society organisations in promoting peace in Israel and Palestine.  As many Peers pointed out, 2013 represents 20 years since the signing of the Oslo Accords. Lord Bew (Crossbench) poignantly remarked, "the happy future that seemed to beckon in Washington in September 1993 has not come about."  There is, then, little cause for celebration on this particular anniversary.

However, sitting in the gallery among Italian tourists and a family of Hasidic Jews, I was delighted to hear Baroness Falkner (Liberal Democrat) remind the Lords of the importance of civil society organisations which "have not given up on the peace process, even while their governments either wilfully backslide or are powerless to move forward."

We heard how organisations such as OneVoice continue to demand that both sides have a future that is better than their past. Indeed, this "remarkable organisation" (Lord Triesman, Labour), is tackling the very obstacles to the peace process that this debate identified.

Peers spoke despairingly about the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, each one making a two-state solution harder to realise.  However, Baroness Falkner provided some hope, noting that "OneVoice Palestine is at the forefront of peaceful opposition to illegal settlement activity...in February 2012, OneVoice Palestine brought around 150 Palestinian youths to plant dozens of trees and Palestinian flags in a barren area east of Bethlehem that was under threat of confiscation by Israeli military order."

Much blame for the current situation was laid at the door of the outgoing Israeli government, as well as continued political division amongst Palestinians. Nonetheless, civil society provides hope where politicians are seen to be failing.  Lord Sheikh (Conservative) praised OneVoice Israel, which "campaigned during the Israeli elections on the importance of citizens opting for moderate candidates who are committed to a two-state solution."

Peers were not only turning to OneVoice to revive the peace process. Other organisations, such as Hand-in-Hand, B'tselem, YaLa Young Leaders, and the Alliance for Middle East Peace were also cited, with Lord Palmer of Childs Hill (Labour) stating that "their activity is a vital part of encouraging their respective societies to engage in renewed negotiations towards a two-state solution."

While all these organisations provide reasons to be cheerful, government spokesperson Lord Wallace (Liberal Democrat) was clear in his fear that "the time left to preserve and reinstate a two-state solution is now limited. If we fail to make progress in the next 18 months to two years, it may possibly be too late."

For that reason, I'm proud that OneVoice in 2013 is turning up the heat, with new and innovative projects, two of which were cited by Peers in Thursday's debate. Reaching out to Palestinian women, "OneVoice Palestine has recently started a programme to educate and empower women from towns and villages to become leaders in their communities" (Lord Sheikh).

Reaching out to investors, "at OneVoice, John Lyndon and his team are now also looking at using civic, economic, and media milestones as part of an ambitious programme called the Peoples' Blueprint" (Lord Stone, Labour).

'It's hugely encouraging to hear these messages of solidarity and encouragement from esteemed members of the House of Lords, and to know that they are with the moderate majority of Israelis and Palestinians struggling for peace,” said Tal Harris, executive director of OneVoice Israel. 

Baroness Falkner summed up her statement "with the observation that, while the peace process is often described as 'dead', in the words of Aaron David Miller, the U.S. negotiator on successive talks: 'It is not yet buried and it will be back'."

I felt immensely proud of all our Palestinian and Israeli activists when Baroness Falkner told the House of Lords: "When it [the peace process] returns, its foundations will have been laid by the thousands of activists on both sides who work day in and day out for that end. We all owe them a debt of gratitude."

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.

London panel debates leadership and legacy of Shimon Peres

Panellists debate the legacy of President Shimon Peres: (L-R) Dr. Ghada Karmi, John Lyndon, Richard Symons, and Paul Charney.

By Anthony Silkoff

Boring?  A father figure?  An over-achiever?  A failure? Conflicted?  These were the varied descriptions of Israel’s President, Shimon Peres, which an audience of activists, students, Israelis, Palestinians, and others at Kings College, London, heard on January 30.

OneVoice Europe hosted a panel discussion on leadership in the aftermath of the Israeli election. Following a screening of the acclaimed documentary, The Price of Kings: Shimon Peres, a panel of speakers offered their take on Peres as a leader and the legacy he will leave in Israel and Palestine.

There was inevitably much disagreement on the panel, with different points of view represented by Paul Charney (Chair, Zionist Federation), Dr. Ghada Karmi (Palestinian activist and academic), John Lyndon (Executive Director, OneVoice Europe), and Richard Symons (Co-Director, The Price of Kings).

There was as much criticism as there was praise for Shimon Peres, which was unsurprising for a such a long-serving political figure. 

Dr. Karmi was forthright in her view, saying she found him “to be so boring in that movie” asking “what has he achieved?” and suggesting she would find a film about assassinated Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin far more interesting. 

Paul Charney found much more to be positive about, observing that “Peres was instrumental in the pulling out of Lebanon and a key figure in the Oslo accords.”  Watching both the film and the debate, I was simply struck by the sheer, undeniable, expanse of his experience, having spent decades at the frontline of Israeli politics.

However, what is also hard to deny, is that all political leaders so far have failed in their attempts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  The occupation remains; Palestinians and Israelis both live in fear and insecurity; neither side lives in peace. So given the gravity of this situation, there is little point drawing up a ranking of the “best” and “worst” politicians of each side.  Rather, we need to support a new generation of leaders who are courageous enough to make a two-state solution become reality.

The young Israelis and Palestinians at the forefront of OneVoice’s grassroots campaigns continue to make me immensely proud to be part of this Movement. I often hear people quote Gandhi – “be the change” - our young activists are doing, not quoting; leading, not following.

In the past six months alone, OneVoice Israel activists compelled their fellow citizens to “Wake up!” to the reality of politicians who want to damage the two-state solution.  OneVoice Palestine activists went out across the West Bank, planting trees for a new forest and demanding an end to settlement expansion.

Summing up proceedings, OneVoice Europe Executive Director John Lyndon made just that point, explaining out that there are many different ways to lead.

“Peres represents a totemic figure in Israeli political life,” Lyndon said. “But across the Middle East, young people are taking the initiative themselves, and pressing the case for change. Whether it’s the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who took to the streets for social justice or the millions across the Arab world who have demanded democracy and justice, it is clear that new dynamics are emerging, with youth at the fore.”

So yes, leaders of all countries have failed to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace, but hope is not lost when a new generation is so clearly putting its foot down.  No more excuses.  Two states, now.  As internationals, let’s make sure we support them every step of the way.

OneVoice will be screening the second film in The Price of Kings series, examining the life and leadership of Yasser Arafat, on the February 27 in London. Please email Anthony@onevoicemovement.org.uk for more details.