by Adeena Schlussel on behalf of Daniel Lubetzky

The Geneva Initiative has launched a new campaign in partnership with USAID which broadcasts messages from Palestinian leadership for the Israeli public.  The short clips featuring different Palestinian leaders all vary but pivot around one shared message- that there is a Palestinian partner for a peace and the opportunity to reach an agreement should not be missed.  To date, figures in the campaign include Cheif Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erakat, Secretary-General of the PLO Executive Committee Yasser Abed Rabbo, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki, Memer of the Fatah Central Committee Jibril Rajoub, and Former Member of the Negotiating Team and PA Minister Sufyan Abu Zaidah.  Each message begins with “shalom” and ends with uniform, powerful promise: “I am your partner.  Are you mine?”  To watch the first three clips, click on the following image:

Tags: Israel, Palestine, Leadership, Mideast Negotiations, PeaceWorks Foundation, Middle East by daniel
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Bradley Burston wrote a column that is quite on-target regarding the problem with boycotts of Israel.  He highlights how the progressive Olympia Food Co-op decided not to support a boycott against Israeli goods as it realized it was riddled with anti-Semitic statements and propaganda.  Most of the international boycotts that claim to be against settlement goods, end up targeting ordinary Israeli products.  And most of the organizers behind these boycotts state their goal is to end their occupation (a goal I support), where in fact their goal is the eradication of the State of Israel.  While people tend to focus primarily on the obvious moral advantages of non-violent civic actions in lieu of violence against civilians, it is not enough to be non-violent for an action to warrant support.  The goal itself should also be clear and transparent.  A campaign that advocates an offensive goal does not cease to be offensive because its tactics are non-violent.  Beyond the tactics, it is important for activists to make sure they realize what is their goal, and, in the case of Israelis and Palestinians, whether that goal is truly going to yield peace, security, respect and prosperity.  If you analyze the realistic options, only the goal of two states for two peoples can accomplish that.

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Tags: Palestine, Israel, Mideast Negotiations, Middle East by daniel
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By Adeena Schlussel on behalf of Daniel Lubetzky

Tom Friedman discusses an appropriately complex documentary, “Precious Life” in this article and then compares its meaning to the appropriately complex reality of the Mideast conflict.  Friedman’s point is not to condone Israel’s behavior unilaterally, rather to encourage her opponents to give constructive criticism, which comes from a place of understanding- a place that “Precious Life” depicts very nicely, according to Friedman.

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Tags: Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Mideast Negotiations, Movies, Middle East, Global, PeaceWorks Foundation, OneVoice Movement by daniel
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by Adeena Schlussel on behalf of Daniel Lubetzky

The International Trade Union Confederation called for peace in the Middle East.  In the process, the ITUC rejected BDS and encouraged action by Histadrut, Israel, PGFTU and Palestine to revisit negotiations to achieve a resolution to the conflict. The ultimate goal is for both parties to accept a non-violent and lasting peace.

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Tags: Israel, Palestine, Gaza, Mideast Negotiations, Global, Middle East by daniel
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by Adeena Schlussel on behalf of Daniel Lubetzky

In a recent story, an Israeli TV channel featured OneVoice’s campaign for Israel-Palestine to host the 2018 world cup.  As the story articulates, this ambition may seem just like a fantasy, but according to the philosophy of the OneVoice campaign, there is no reason why Israelis and Palestinians cannot partner to host the world cup in eight years.  The challenge remains for this fantasy to become a reality.  Watch this movie and radio interview with OneVoice’s Tal Harris.

דמיינו: ישראל והרשות יארחו את המונדיאל ב-2018

לרובכם זה ודאי נשמע כמו תסריט דמיוני, אבל בארגון "קול אחד" מאמינים שאין סיבה שישראל והרשות הפלסטינית לא ישתפו פעולה ויארחו יחד את המונדיאל בעוד 8 שנים. "לשם כך צריך לפתור את הסכסוך, והכדורגל הוא כלי מצוין לכך" - אומר יו"ר הארגון טל הריס, שהפיץ סרטון בניסיון לקדם את החזון. האם הדמיון יהפוך למציאות?

חדשות 2 | פורסם 23/06/10 13:33

נסו לדמיין את התסריט הבא: שנת 2018, נבחרות הכדורגל הטובות בעולם עושות את דרכן לשטחי ישראל והרשות הפלסטינית שמארחות את המונדיאל - יחדיו. בארגון "קול אחד" מאמינים שהתסריט הזה יכול להפוך למציאות.

"סרטון שמופץ בימים אלה ברשת מציג שחקני כדורגל שמתחרים על תואר האלופה ליד גדר ההפרדה. את הסרטון הפיק ארגון "קול אחד" (One Voice) שפועל לפיתרון הסכסוך הישראלי-פלסטיני.

"כחלק מחגיגת המונדיאל ניסינו לדמיין איך תיראה שנת 2018 בסכסוך הישראלי פלסטיני", הסביר טל הריס, יו"ר הארגון לחדשות 2 באינטרנט. "לשם כך צריך לפתור את הסכסוך, והכדורגל הוא כלי מצוין לכך".

משיחות עם אנשים בשני צדי הסכסוך ראינו שהדמיון חורג מכל מציאות שאנחנו מכירים, ואם דרום אפריקה שסועת הקרבות הפנימיים והמתח הבין גזעי יכולה לארח אירוע כדורגל כזה, אין סיבה שישראל והרשות הפלסטינית לא יעשו דבר דומה", הוסיף הריס.

"אם לא נקדם את העתיד אחרת - הוא לא יהיה אחרת"

אם הסרטון מזכיר לכם את הפרסומת השנויה במחלוקת של חברת סלולר ששודרה עד לא מזמן בישראל, הריס מבהיר שאין שום רצון להעביר מסר פוליטי. "אם לא נקדם את העתיד אחרת הוא לא יהיה אחרת", אמר. "אנחנו לא חושבים ששלום כולל חייב להיות במדינה אחת, אלא דווקא בשני עמים שחיים זה לצד זה, ורצוי שיהיה גבול ביניהן".

מונדיאל משותף בישראל?

"כמו במדינות רבות באירופה, נותר לנו רק לפתור את הסכסוך וזה יהיה אפשרי", אמר הריס. "בקרוב נקדם עצומה לשרת התרבות והספורט לימור לבנת, כדי לקדם את ההרשמה למונדיאל ב-2026, כי פספסנו את ההרשמה לזה של 2018".

את הקליפ יצר איתן הלר עבור התנועה "קול אחד", שפעילה מאז 2004 ופועלת בקמפוסים ברחבי הארץ במטרה לקדם פיתרון של שתי מדינות לשני עמים. "אנחנו רוצים לגרום לאנשים לדמיין את הפיתרון ולהבין את המחיר שנדרש כדי להגיע אליו", סיכם הריס. "אני מאמין שזה אפשרי".

Tags: Israel, Palestine, Advertising (good vs misleading), Mideast Negotiations, Media and Alternative Media, Middle East, Global, PeaceWorks Foundation, OneVoice Movement by daniel
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by Adeena Schlussel on behalf of Daniel Lubetzky

A recent article in Haaretz highlights the majority opinion of Palestinians that hope for peace with Israel and wish to achieve political goals via non-violent means.  Results also showed that many Palestinians have more support in Fatah leadership and less in Hamas than in years prior. 

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Tags: Palestine, Israel, Mideast Negotiations, Middle East, OneVoice Movement by daniel
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Amos Oz speaks the OneVoice language like few others – maybe only King Abdullah and Queen Rania do a better job.  Here is a solid piece analyzing the proper use of force, and the only way out of this conflict –by recognition of the simple fact by Israelis and Palestinians that both peoples have a right to self-determination as neighbors.

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Tags: Israel, Palestine, Gaza, Mideast Negotiations, Middle East, OneVoice Movement by daniel
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by Adeena Schlussel on behalf of Daniel Lubetzky

A new reality TV show plans to have a group of Israeli and Palestinian teenagers cohabit and develop peace negotiations; the intent is not to solve the Mideast conflict, but to bring the two sides together in a more symbolic manner.  This concept is not new, but nobody has ever has the power or talent to execute it successfully.  If this attempt is successful… kol ha kavod, kul el ehterem, well done!

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Tags: Israel, Palestine, Gaza, Mideast Negotiations, Middle East, OneVoice Movement by daniel
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by Adeena Schlussel on behalf of Daniel Lubetzky

Security sources report that Syria has been delivering arms from clandestine depots in Syria to bases in Lebanon. This accusation heightens fears that Syria’s President Bashar Assad is becoming close with Hizbollah, and by extension, its friend, Iran. As part of this concern, some worry that should a clash erupt between Lebanon and Israel, Syria would be entered into the fighting. The UN Security Council Resolution 1701 bans providing arms to Hizbollah and many Western leaders are pressing President Assad to stop undermining this provision.

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Tags: Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Mideast Negotiations, Middle East by daniel
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Anyone who has been following the news today about the Gaza flotilla debacle and the tragic course of events, including the loss of lives, of hopes, and of peaceful respectful relations would not be faulted for being gloomy and depressed and for throwing in the towel, thinking that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is just not going to be resolved and war is going to doom that region for eternity.

Perhaps it’s the contrarian in me, but I’ve heard this tune and just when things start getting as ugly as they seem to be getting now in the Middle East, an opportunity starts arising to awaken people into their power for positive change - in this case based on a two state solution that recognizes the rights of both peoples.

Behind the scenes, OneVoice has been preparing a campaign to inspire Palestinians and Israelis to visualize a two state solution: Imagine 2018.  I shared this campaign with Sir Paul McCartney earlier today and he recognized its potential to shake people out of their complacency or fatalism and into action.

You could argue this is not the time to launch such a campaign - that it is the time to solemnly mourn.  And to recognize that there are major impediments, not the least of which is Hamas control of Gaza (a proxy of Iran) and ideological settlers taking Israel and its government hostage.

But maybe this IS the time to take action.  For otherwise we will be victims to follies and extremism and partisanship forever. 

Maybe the time has come to break those shackles of absolutism and rancor, and to start saying, let’s stop making excuses about why peace is never going to come about, and let’s start building the foundations - in our visions, in our minds, and on the ground - to just make it happen.  Two states for two proud peoples.  It may not happen overnight. And it may not happen across the entire land at the same time.  But you have to start somewhere.

Tags: Introspection, Israel, Palestine, Music, Iran, Mideast Negotiations, Gaza, OneVoice Movement by daniel
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