While I support the concept and the call for peace (anything that may stop the senseless daily slaughter is welcome), I rather feel that One Voice expresses a depressingly feeble insight into the nature of the conflict - and in the long term this sort of naivety/ weak fudging will inevitably perpetuate it. Proponents of One Voice may argue 'well, we have to have a lukewarm agenda so that both moderate Israelis and Palestinians will sign,' but to my mind the problems with this approach are as follows:

1) It does not address the reality of the occupation as the cause of all subsequent evils.

2) The 'two state solution' is effectively dead in the water. It still has a feelgood soundbite that people want to cling to and politicians can get votes by tapping into, but the encroachments of the occupation over the past two decades have effectively annihilated it. And what was so good about it anyway? Two 'ethnically homogenous' states living in racial purity side by side? One rich with all the good land, and the other one poor but with all the religious sites? Great!

3) Responsibility for the conflict is seen as being 'balanced' - my word, if it wasn't for those inconvenient 'extremists on both sides', then 'moderates' like Olmert and Abbas (don't make me laugh) could just get it together man, and sort out something nice and fluffy... so the Israeli elite can carry on making a killing out of the occupation (but guilt free and without the stress) and ripping off their own Israeli underclass, while the Palestinian elite in turn can get on with lording it over their own and getting pay backs from their corrupt little deals with the occupiers. There is moreover no 'balance' of extremism or anything else in the occupation, while the so-called 'moderates' are just as much responsible for the current chaos as anyone else, if not more so in fact.

This critique of One Voice has ended up being more virulent than I'd intended, but to solve any problem it is first of all necessary to speak the truth and not hide under platitudes and feelgood laziness. I do wish One Voice all the best in their endeavour to activate large numbers of people and call for peace (maybe there's something just in that), but to shy off addressing the fundamental injustice (not to mention the power play of outside actors like the USA) behind the whole conflict is just stupid. So I'm sorry, I can't join you on this.

"One rich with all the good land, and the other one poor but with all the religious sites? Great! "


Uh- have you ever been to Israel?
Most (2/3?) of Israel is the Negev desert. Vast expanses of nothingness.
Gaza has a beautiful Mediterean beach that can be used for tourism. The West Bank has tons of religious sites, and archeological sites.

The only reason Israel has some "good" land- is that they've invested years in draining swamps and irrigating it. Tel Aviv was once sand dunes. Now its a huge city, but a lot of time and sweat equity went into making it one.

ABERDEEN, UK
October 18, 2007
Time: 7.30pm - midnight
Place: Union Bridge & Cafe Drummond
Details: The event will begin at Union Bridge, featuring speakers, an acoustic set by Mr. Gavin McGinty, and a display of solidarity to send to the Middle East. The event will then proceed to Cafe Drummond, where there will be a video presentation and live bands.

The bridge event will take place at 7.30pm, the presentation and concert will take place at 8.30pm. Contact Lynne Tammi for more information or to get involved; Lynn at Article12.org

Echo events in other communities will continue throughout the year, to ensure that the people’s voice will continue to be heard. If there is no Echo event scheduled for your region, help organize one in your university or local community. Contact Miriam Asnes for more information, or download our Echo event toolkit for step-by-step instructions for organizers.

In a conflict of such global consequence, public displays of solidarity and support by those outside the region are extremely important. In joining one of the Echo events, you will have a chance to play a part in an historical change - to unite two so-called "enemy" populations and take a stand against violent extremism.

1) It does not address the reality of the occupation as the cause of all subsequent evils.

Yes it does. There will be two independent states. No more occupation.




2) The 'two state solution' is effectively dead in the water.


Its still the best bet for peace. Its what the people want. The vast majority of Palestinians and Israelis -76% are interested in a two state solution.

but the encroachments of the occupation over the past two decades have effectively annihilated it.

Why? The final borders will be negoiated. israel dismantled the settlements in sinai before it returned Sinai as "land for peace". There are historic precedents.



And what was so good about it anyway? Two 'ethnically homogenous' states living in racial purity side by side? One rich with all the good land, and the other one poor but with all the religious sites? Great!

Someone already addressed this. Israel was a crappy sliver of desert a few years back- the Israelis made it what it is today. The Palestinians have an equally crappy sliver of desert- with good leadership thereis nothing stopping them.

How is OneVoice different from other ‘peace’ groups?
We are dedicated to conflict resolution. Israelis and Palestinians at a grassroots level want to find a resolution to this conflict and agree in broad terms on the parameters for that resolution. It is not because they like and love each other, but because after so many years of conflict, they recognise that to guarantee their own freedom, security and viability, they have to assure that also for the other side. We are committed to mobilizing people behind this belief to affect real change. On top of this, we are a grassroots, non-partisan joint Israeli-Palestinian organization – not imposing ideas from above, but helping people on the ground find and frame their own answers.

Why do you believe in a Two-State Solution?
OneVoice does not hold its own agenda or views for how any peace agreement will look – we are simply codifying the views of the masses. The vast majority of Israelis and Palestinians, according to all major polls, agree that a Two-State solution is the only way to end this conflict and therefore we support this stance.

Who funds OneVoice?
Individuals, trusts and foundations – Israeli, Palestinian and international. A lot of our funding comes from Arab-Americans and Jews, while major foundations such as the Ford Foundation, IBM and the Rockefeller Brothers also support us. Businessmen in the region such as Yasser Mahmoud Abbas and Samer Khoury are amongst our Board members who give annually. We are trying to secure government funding from the U.S.A and Europe and a variety of organizations committed to democracy and conflict resolution support our work. In addition, OneVoice groups in both Canada and Europe are creating local chapters to help support our work in the Middle East.

Is it really a joint movement? Are both sides really represented?
This is the most commonly asked question by people on either side. Each side perceives that the other lacks a contingent of moderates willing to lead their people to compromise. Exactly the same amount of money goes into programming in Israel as it does in Palestine and the Israeli and Palestinian offices work on an even keel to define policy.
What many people are unable to see, which we uniquely can, is that whether on the left or on the right, Israeli or Palestinian, the overwhelming majority on both sides affirmed they would choose co-existence and mutual respect over co-extermination and mutual ruination, and, importantly, in spite of any apprehensions or skepticism they share, they ultimately express a commitment and desire to participate with us.

Do you really think you can have an impact?
Yes. This is not to say that it will be easy, or indeed that it is likely. Many clever and committed people have tried and failed in this field. There is consensus and people do want to resolve this conflict, if their potential is unleashed, change will occur and the conflict will be resolved. We are working to mobilize people to both demand more of their leaders and support their leaders in steps toward conflict resolution. History shows us that when the majority wants something it can be achieved as the leaders` legitimacy is derived from this majority. OneVoice is working on activating people to ask their leaders in a democratic way to implement their will.

At a minimum, we are confident that we can achieve the following:

Inject well-grounded hope to an atmosphere of hopelessness;
Demonstrate to each side that many on the other side share principles of respect, humanity and reason;
Give people a stake in process, making it their business to work for progress;
Help people recognize the need for - and learn the art of - compromise;
Inspire others to take steps to let the voice of sanity be heard, and to be pro-active about the struggle for co-existence;
Establish some common ground and build some understanding.

What are your main, day-to-day programs and activities?
The nature of grassroots work is to engage the masses. We reach out to people in order to try to engage them and get them to raise their voices in support of moderation. There is a great deal of consensus to compromise, but people have to come to terms with these difficult compromises. We encourage this through Town Hall meetings, youth leadership programs (that include intensive workshops and training seminars), public service announcements, mass meetings and events and a variety of other methods. Much of our work is face to face and about getting people to understand how they can channel their frustration toward positive change.

What is the Citizen Negotiation Platform and how does it work?
It was created by a broad panel of religious, community and political leaders with experience in this field – it includes Israelis, Palestinians and others. They came together and broke the conflict down into its 10 most seemingly intractable areas of dispute – see below – and posed potential resolutions to these areas.

Israelis and Palestinians were then asked – through several rounds of voting – to voice their opinions on these resolutions through an innovative weighted voting system. Where there was no consensus between Israelis and Palestinians, the council of experts was asked to come up with new solutions, based on feedback from the average Israeli and an average Palestinian. Thus a negotiation system was created to engage citizens on both sides and build a popular mandate for peace.

Issues voted on:
End of conflict
Education and reconciliation
Refugees
Holy Sites
Jerusalem
Security
End of Occupation and Terror
Settlements
Borders
Two state solution


What is your youth leadership program?
Our Youth Leadership Program trains the brightest young Israelis and Palestinians in the skills necessary to be leaders in their own communities. It is designed to build a human infrastructure through which to create a real movement for change and to engage all Israelis and Palestinians in our work.

What is your International Education Program?
This program allows Israeli and Palestinian youth leaders to tell students, politicians and religious groups outside the Region about the realities of living in Israel and Palestine – realities they do not see in the media. It is designed to get the support of the outside world for our work and help those outside the Region avoid polarization, extremism and hatred in their own communities due to our conflict. To be involved when we visit your community email jake (at) OneVoiceMovement.org.

Why haven’t we heard of OneVoice?
We push all our resources toward engaging members of each population rather than looking for publicity. The media tends not to cover our work because it is not as gripping perhaps as a terrorist bomb, but they should – we need more coverage to help spread our message.

How can I help?
Do something. If you can’t support us financially, you know someone who can.
If you can’t get anything published about us, you know someone who can.
We need to get people to hear about our work – there are so many trips to the Region that we want to visit our offices, there are so many bright people around the world and in the Region that are unfamiliar with us yet or aren’t involved – help us get to them. In addition, we are opening local offices in London and Canada – we have chapters across the States as well as, of course, in the Region. Join and help!

What is your definition of "extremists" and "moderates"?
"Extremists" in the OneVoice platform is a word reserved to those who would completely deny the humanity of the other and would resort to violent terror and intimidation as a means to obliterate the other side, to derail or preclude any negotiating effort or dialogue, and to achieve absolutist terms that deny the other side any existential rights. Having views that are regarded in certain political circles as "extreme" does not make one an "extremist" for purposes of this initiative. Indeed, it is critical that the broadest number of people from all spectrums be integrated into this inclusive undertaking. The only people OneVoice will exclude are those opposed to a constructive process that respects the humanity of the other.
OneVoice defines "moderates" as the overwhelming majority of human beings on both sides of the conflict that, when faced with a choice between prosperity and co-existence on the one side, and enduring animosity and violence on the other, will choose co-existence.

Even if you reach them, how are you going to get thousands or millions to agree if you cannot even get two leaders to agree?
We have already successfully had around 120,000 people – half Israeli, half Palestinian find consensus on all the issues at the heart of the conflict. It can be done. It is being done.
It is arguably easier to achieve a general consensus on key points through weighed voting by thousands of individuals who actively express their needs and prerogatives in a constructive platform, than for two leaders with decades of entrenched animosity, pressure from partisan voices, and intimidating historical responsibility to their constituents to reach a conclusive agreement. People will only be called upon to vote on issues in general terms and not extreme specificity. They will only need to represent their own views and not carry the weight of an entire nation. And they are not constrained by their pasts, their political positions, nor are they answerable to special interest groups, minority parties, or perceived popular will.

Is this an attempt to impose a Western solution on a uniquely Middle Eastern problem?
The OneVoice solution is coming FROM the Middle East; it is not being "imposed" on anyone...HUNDREDS of Palestinians and Israelis were involved in its inception and now TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND are members; it is shaped according to what people who live in the region believe will work. In this regard, OneVoice provides a completely new and neutral gateway towards a concrete consensus that is not linked to any specific existing power entity. Therefore, individuals will be working, from grass roots up, through a non-biased platform wherein results and legitimacy will be created solely by their own participation.

Why OneVoice?
OneVoice was launched because we recognized that the overwhelming majority of Palestinians and Israelis want to find a resolution to the conflict but the majority of these people have been disenfranchised, fallen petty to external fears and hatreds, or do not have access to the political process. In turn, the media’s focus on the tragedies, violence, and hatred has achieved the extremists’ objectives, propagating a new level of hatred and misunderstanding. Currently, there is no platform for individuals to voice their disapproval for this extremism and violence, or engage in a constructive process to achieve a shared vision for the future. A platform is desperately needed to give voice to the silent majority who want constructive solutions. Thus, a political situation necessitates MASS MOVEMENT from the people to provide support and guidance to politicians/leadership and send a public message that the majority of people want to coexist. The political process is deadlocked and people feel hopeless. We must change that by bypassing it.

How Can I Get In Touch?
Email info (at) OneVoiceMovement.org and you will be directed to the right person.

Celebrating Peace or Camouflaging Apartheid?

Boycott the Jericho-Tel Aviv Public Events on October 18th!

On October 18th, One Million Voices, an organization led by Israelis and international figures with the support of some Palestinians, is organizing a public event in Jericho and Tel Aviv, simultaneously. The event will include performances by renowned artists Brian Adams and Ilham Madfa'i. As stated on the organization's English webpage, the objective of the event is to “mark the first time that massive numbers of Israelis and Palestinians gather simultaneously to unite against violent extremism.”

According to the widely accepted boycott criteria advocated by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), the event falls under the category of normalization projects and violates the call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), endorsed by over 170 Palestinian civil society organizations, trade unions, political parties, and grassroots movements, for the following reasons:

1.Participants are required to join the One Voice Movement and sign a mandate -- ostensibly based on a "two-state solution," but without any commitment to international parameters -- which assumes equal responsibility of "both sides" for the "conflict," and suspiciously fails to call for Israel's full compliance with its obligations under international law through ending its illegal military occupation, its denial of Palestinian refugee rights (particularly the right of return), and its system of racial discrimination against its own Palestinian citizens.

2.The event is sponsored by Israeli institutions (mostly from the private sector) and endorsed by mainstream Israeli political figures from parties including the Likud and Shas. These Israeli "partners" are unquestionably complicit in maintaining Israel 's occupation and other forms of oppression.

We believe this event is being organized to promote a "peace" agreement that is devoid of the minimal requirements of justice, and that will leave the Palestinian people as disenfranchised as previous agreements have. The unfortunate and harmful support of Palestinian businessmen, religious and political figures, among others, for this event indicates either ignorance of the hidden agenda inherent in the whole initiative, deceptively camouflaged as a collective call for peace, or willingness to forfeit the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in return for advancing selfish interests.

We call on the Palestinian public and international supporters of a just peace in Palestine not to take part in this public relations charade that conceals a misleading political program that falls significantly short of international law tenets and the Palestinian national program.

We call on Arab and Palestinian artists, in particular, not to participate in this or any similar event whose real objectives have nothing to do with genuine peace.

We call on Palestinian board members of the One Million Voices to withdraw their support for this movement that only serves to blind the Palestinian public and sidetrack it from struggling, with the solidarity of its international supporters, for its UN-sanctioned rights, for justice, equality and freedom.

 http://www.pacbi.org

Is there something specific you find objectionable?

OneVoice Mandate

To Our Leaders, our fellow citizens, our neighbors, and the world:

We demand in OneVoice that our elected representatives work to achieve the following demands:

Ensure an immediate end of all violence from both sides in all its forms;

Recognize, respect, and implement all prior international agreements between Israel, the PLO and the PA;

Recognize the right of both peoples to independence, sovereignty, freedom, justice, dignity, respect, national security, personal safety and economic viability;

Implement concrete confidence-building measures that will improve the lives of the Palestinian and Israeli people, including ensuring freedom of movement for ordinary civilians and fostering education against incitement on both sides;

Immediately commence negotiations and reach and implement a Two State Solution to fulfill the consistent will of the overwhelming majority of both populations.

OneVoice is a fraud. CEO Daniel Lubetzsky is one of the many who spread libel about Rachel Corrie and the International Solidarity Movement:

blog.peaceworks.net/2007/10/the-bad-guys-uncovered/

So the Palestinian-led ISM are the "bad guys" and Mr. Lubetzsky, whose faux peaceworks does not address the imbalance of power in the Israel occupation, international law, nor the right of refugees. OneVoice's true purpose seems to be to undercut the real grassroots nonviolent Palestinian liberation struggle

The One Voice process is intended to create a platform for members of Palestinian and Israel civil society to engage in dialogue and mobilise at community level to affect positive change.

The One Voice "Mandate" is a proposal, it does not represent an actual solution to the conflict, it is a framework to facilitate further dialogue which may or may not result in a mandate for the people caught up in the conflict.

Like any other conflict resolution proposal (for example the Saudi Peace Initiative) it has suggestions and solutions that will be acceptable to some and unacceptable to others but its strength is that it is a starting point that will engage members of civil society in the peace process, empowering them to define their own parameters for peace and to pressure the elites to take cognisance of the voice of the people.

Whatever our own personal views on a "preferred" outcome; one state, two state or federalism we do not have the right to impose that view on the people of the region, that right lies with the peoples of Palestine and Israel.

However, views and opinions on the founders of the One Voice movement aside, we have a duty to support the 600,000 people who have given their commitment to working towards a positive outcome through civil society action. To spin against the voice of civil society is to deny people their most basic of human rights, the freedom to voice an opinion on matters that affect them.

www.mideastweb.org/log/archives/00000634.htm

President Abbas Affirms OneVoice Mandate Corresponds with his Platform

Saeb Erekat Explains OneVoice Palestines Goals Align with Presidents Vision for Palestinian State

Singer Ilham Al Madfai Denounces False Reports, Emphatically Supports OneVoice

Ramallah - 18/10/2007 - In a press conference today, Dr. Saeb Erekat, Chief Palestinian Negotiator and Spokesperson of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, explained that President Mahmoud Abbas asked him to clarify that OneVoice Palestine is a non-governmental organization committed to upholding the vision of President Abbas. Dr. Erekat delivered his remarks in a press briefing on the recent visit of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the Middle East.

"The president would like to say that OneVoice organization is an NGO that has every right to work,' said Dr. Erekat. Erakat explained the organization had sent invitations to a OneVoice Summit under the auspices of the President without receiving an official endorsement, but added that the OneVoice 'political program, after Abu Mazen read it, reflects the Presidents platform and the Palestinian objectives."

Erakat added, "[President Abbas] would like to reiterate his full support to those NGOs and civil society organizations that work for democracy, a culture of peace, and ending occupation on the basis of a two-state solution."

Dr. Erakat explained that a lot of "misleading information"had been provided about OneVoice. He said contrary to what was widely spread, "[President Abbas] read the document of OneVoice and this document corresponds with his political program of ending the occupation that began in 1967 by having two states: a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital next to an Israeli state along the 67 borders and solving the issues reserved to the permanent status negotiations: Jerusalem, borders, refugees and settlements consistent with relevance to the security council international resolutions."

Today, renowned Iraqi recording artist, Ilham al Madfai, also re-affirmed his support for OneVoice, contrary to reports circulating that he had pulled out of the October 18th Summit in Jericho. "I have been very clear to all those who have been calling that I regretted not being able to participate in OneVoice Palestine's effort to raise the voice of the Palestinian people for an end to the occupation, and for peace in the region." Mr. Madfai added, "I call upon all boycott groups to stop threatening and intimidating artists and to respect the freedom of all."

Mr. Madfai explained he had received a lot of "threatening phone calls and warnings"from groups opposed to his visit but he cherished the day when all logistical and travel challenges, including procuring visas for al his crew and band, could be resolved to enable him "to sing with the Palestinian people and with the people of the world, a song of peace, justice, dignity, respect, and hope."

OneVoice Palestine is part of a movement of ordinary citizens that now surpasses 600,000 signatories not just in Palestine and the Arab world, but with citizens in solidarity across America, Europe and Israel, who agree on the imperative of ending the conflict and propelling and supporting their Heads of State to immediately commence negotiations, uninterrupted till the conclusion of a two state agreement. The international movement does not take specific positions on the agreement that the Heads of State must deliver, emphasizing that is a duty of the political representatives, but it does empower citizens to propel and support their Heads of State towards the negotiating table. In efforts to mobilize the moderate majority in Palestine and Israel, the OneVoice Movement has trained over 3,000 Palestinian and Israeli youth leaders. Specifically, OneVoice Palestine has trained 1,800 Palestinian youth leaders and has offices in Gaza and Ramallah.

OneVoice Palestines Honorary Board includes the Chief Islamic Justice, Sheikh Taysir al Tamimi, the son of President Abbas, Yasser Mahmoud Abbas, Dr. Saeb Erakat, and a dozen more Palestinian dignitaries, scholars, and religious leaders. www.OneMillionVoices.org