| From the Knesset to the Streets: OneVoice is Empowering Moderates |
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| Polly Bronstein, OVI Executive Director, speaking at the Knesset next to MK Hilik Bar. |
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This week we had a tragic reminder that the extremists in our midst can cause untold horror unless good people stand up and oppose them. The horrific settler arson attack in the village of Duma, in which a Palestinian baby was burned to death last night should shock us all out of apathy. The stabbing of six participants at yesterday's Pride Parade in Jerusalem shows us that violence and intolerance is on the rise. And the growing sense of lawlessness and violence in several Palestinian cities in the West Bank provide a warning that we could very easily slide back to the dark days of the Intifada.
We at OneVoice condemn these heinous acts, but condemnation is not enough. From the halls of the Knesset to the streets of Nablus, OneVoice activists are standing up for the majority of Israelis and Palestinians who share a commitment to non-violence and peace.
OneVoice Israel (OVI) mobilized dozens of activists this week to fill the Knesset and amplify the voice of moderates to propel their elected representatives toward the two-state solution. The activists attended the 20th Knesset’s first convening of the Caucusfor Resolving the Israeli-Arab Conflict.
Polly Bronstein, Executive Director of OVI, was invited to address the caucus on behalf of OVI activists by the chair of the caucus, MK Hilik Bar: “The caucus to end the Arab-Israeli conflict was established four years ago in a joint effort between OneVoice and MK Yoel Hasson and was responsible for a series of pioneering events and activities. The caucus brought the first Palestinian delegation to the Knesset, and it was the first time in which a Palestinian flag was ever raised alongside the Israeli flag in the Knesset.”
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In Palestine, OneVoice Palestine (OVP) launched a campaign focused on mobilizing moderates to counter the rising extremist voices in Nablus and other cities throughout the West Bank. Nablus was the first city to see OVP launch their new “Violence is a Weakness” initiative.
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| OneVoice Palestine Youth Leaders brought a message of non-violent resistance to the streets of Nablus. |
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Over 50 Youth Leaders were in the streets of Nablus on Wednesday, and will be heading to Jericho and Jenin in the coming days, actively working to strengthen and encourage Palestinians to promote peaceful means of achieving an end to occupation, and to denounce violence as a destructive force in Palestinians' quest for statehood.
OVP’s Executive Director Samer Makhlouf reflected on the impact, saying, “we must unite and be proactive when it comes to promoting dialogue and understanding as alternatives to violence, extremism and bigotry, because violence is a weakness. We must focus our efforts on the most important problem, ending the Israeli occupation, and working to promote a democratic Palestinian state based on tolerance and the values of freedom and equality”.
Together, OneVoice's Israeli and Palestinian teams are united in mobilizing moderates to counter extremism and to empower and inspire a majority of citizens on either side of the Green Line to propel their leaders towards the two-state solution. |
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