OneVoice Movement
Encyclopedia
OneVoice is a non profit organization and citizen activism movement working in Israel
and the Palestinian territories
to achieve a two-state solution through non-violent means. An initiative of The PeaceWorks Foundation, the organization is headquartered in New York City
, with field offices in Tel Aviv
, Ramallah
, and Gaza City, and international offices in London
and Ottawa
.
, the OneVoice movement has striven to empower the moderate majority of Israelis and Palestinians to take a more active, assertive role toward resolving the conflict. As of 20 November 2007, over 620,000 people have joined the OneVoice Movement and the effort to end the conflict once and for all.
The OneVoice approach involves appealing primarily to enlightened self-interest of the Israel
i and Palestinian people
at a grassroots level.
OneVoice believes that one of the most powerful ways to empower moderate constituencies is for them to see and demonstrate that they have an engaged partner on the other side. Thus, OneVoice works with a number of programs (described below) along four tracks:
The Israeli and Palestinian tracks address the issues facing each society. The Regional track focuses on cooperative development and education through joint Palestinian and Israeli programming. The International program is geared towards promoting mutual understanding amongst all global citizens. These tracks are essential in strengthening the role civil society regionally and throughout the world, as a critical component in crafting a viable and comprehensive resolution for both peoples.
Organizer Daniel Lubetzky
said, "...the movement was informed that it would be impossible to hold the Jericho event due to the security conditions at this time...The other events were also cancelled in solidarity with the cancellation of the Jericho event. The initiative’s main component is reciprocity and the international aspect which constitutes a milestone in the movement’s principles.
"Under the circumstances created, it was impossible to hold an event in Tel Aviv alone, and therefore we would rather postpone the events at this stage and continue to work for the achievement of our goal – recruiting 1,000,000 supporters for the alliance of the moderates, and strengthen the voice of the moderate majority against the violent extremists and for an end to the conflict."
The plans for the events were that ordinary citizens were to speak out in large numbers against violent extremism and command their leaders to “Sit, negotiate and implement a Two-State solution.” Central events had been planned for Tel Aviv, Jericho, Ramallah, and Jerusalem. Musical performances, speeches and video statements would have been given by dignitaries, luminaries, musicians and celebrities, and were planned to bring Israelis and Palestinians out to the streets where they will be linked via satellite to their counterparts across the region.
Echo events around the world were to have taken place to show Israelis and Palestinians that the international community supports a Two-State solution and considers the resolution of the conflict a top priority in world affairs. This platform was to allow people on both sides to see that in fact there is a partner in the resolution process. The event was to have been broadcast across the world.
Some local political organizations criticized this effort. One Palestinian group said it was an attempt to declare a resolution to the conflict, without fully addressing Palestinian concerns and demands.
in Davos
, Switzerland
. For the first time in the history of the World Economic Forum
, ordinary citizens were given platform to speak directly to world leaders.
For the event, OneVoice gathered hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians together in Tel Aviv
, Ramallah
, and Jerusalem to film statements that would be video-cast in front of their leaders - President Mahmoud Abbas
, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
, and Vice Premier Shimon Peres
- who were on stage in Davos, watching.
In 2004 the Citizens’ Negotiations Platform was launched after extensive research by a panel of Israeli, Palestinian and international experts who broke the conflict down into its ten most contentious issues. Over 180,000 Israelis and Palestinians have since voted on these issues, and given their feedback on how each should be resolved. This process has educated people on the art of negotiation and created the beginning of a popular mandate for peace molded by people at a grassroots level. Results showed a high level of consensus, with 76% of both Israelis and Palestinians affirming a two state solution.
are donated to OneVoice.
Recruiting and training young leaders is a crucial and ongoing part of OneVoice’s program work in both Israel and Palestine. Through regular workshops OneVoice aims to create cohesiveness between moderate grassroots Palestinians and Israelis and emphasis that moderates should work together.
At the end of their training Youth Leaders are asked to set up an initial event within their communities to galvanize more support for and to publicize OneVoice. Alternatively, they may be asked to recruit more signatories who affirm OneVoice Principles. With the What Are You Willing To Do Campaign?, an existing and growing network of Youth Leaders serve the dual purpose of organizing community events and getting people to sign on to the OneVoice Principles.
OneVoice’s credentials in both Israel and Palestine are what sets it apart from other organizations. By bringing these credentials to campuses and communities outside the Middle East
, OneVoice is able to hold a respected audience from groups of all backgrounds and political persuasions. This allows OneVoice to get some students who would never normally sit in the same room together, let alone applaud the same ideals, to realize that they have more in common than they could have imagined.
The initiative is supported by local politicians Ann McKechin MP, University of Glasgow Rector Charles Kennedy MP, as well as religious leaders from the Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Humanist communities in Glasgow.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
to achieve a two-state solution through non-violent means. An initiative of The PeaceWorks Foundation, the organization is headquartered in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, with field offices in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
, and Gaza City, and international offices in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.
Background
Since the official inception in 2002, OneVoice has undertaken a grassroots approach to engage Palestinians and Israelis toward greater civic involvement. Rooted within its methodology to combat violent extremism and the fatalistic philosophy which fuels it, OneVoice is driven and shaped by the citizens who comprise it. Conceived during a time of hopelessness and frustration following the collapse of the Oslo AccordsOslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
, the OneVoice movement has striven to empower the moderate majority of Israelis and Palestinians to take a more active, assertive role toward resolving the conflict. As of 20 November 2007, over 620,000 people have joined the OneVoice Movement and the effort to end the conflict once and for all.
The OneVoice approach involves appealing primarily to enlightened self-interest of the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i and Palestinian people
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
at a grassroots level.
OneVoice believes that one of the most powerful ways to empower moderate constituencies is for them to see and demonstrate that they have an engaged partner on the other side. Thus, OneVoice works with a number of programs (described below) along four tracks:
- I. OneVoice Israel: Consensus building & Discourse against Extremism & Incitement
- II. OneVoice Palestine: Democratization as a nonviolent alternative for conflict resolution
- III. OneVoice Regional: Cooperative Programming for Palestinians & Israelis
- IV. OneVoice International: Promoting Mutual Understanding & Global Acceptance
The Israeli and Palestinian tracks address the issues facing each society. The Regional track focuses on cooperative development and education through joint Palestinian and Israeli programming. The International program is geared towards promoting mutual understanding amongst all global citizens. These tracks are essential in strengthening the role civil society regionally and throughout the world, as a critical component in crafting a viable and comprehensive resolution for both peoples.
October 2007: Mass Mobilization of Moderates
In 2007, OneVoice announced plans to have two major community summits, which would have occurred in Tel Aviv and Jericho on October 18. These were planned to mobilize the largest number of Palestinians and Israelis in the history of the region to take active steps toward ending the conflict. These events were all canceled or postponed indefinitely due to "security concerns."Organizer Daniel Lubetzky
Daniel Lubetzky
Daniel Lubetzky is a serial social entrepreneur known for integrating social objectives with sustainable market-driven forces into new business models. He is the CEO and Founder of and the . He is also founder of , and the PeaceWorks Foundation’s OneVoice Movement, and co-founder of...
said, "...the movement was informed that it would be impossible to hold the Jericho event due to the security conditions at this time...The other events were also cancelled in solidarity with the cancellation of the Jericho event. The initiative’s main component is reciprocity and the international aspect which constitutes a milestone in the movement’s principles.
"Under the circumstances created, it was impossible to hold an event in Tel Aviv alone, and therefore we would rather postpone the events at this stage and continue to work for the achievement of our goal – recruiting 1,000,000 supporters for the alliance of the moderates, and strengthen the voice of the moderate majority against the violent extremists and for an end to the conflict."
The plans for the events were that ordinary citizens were to speak out in large numbers against violent extremism and command their leaders to “Sit, negotiate and implement a Two-State solution.” Central events had been planned for Tel Aviv, Jericho, Ramallah, and Jerusalem. Musical performances, speeches and video statements would have been given by dignitaries, luminaries, musicians and celebrities, and were planned to bring Israelis and Palestinians out to the streets where they will be linked via satellite to their counterparts across the region.
Echo events around the world were to have taken place to show Israelis and Palestinians that the international community supports a Two-State solution and considers the resolution of the conflict a top priority in world affairs. This platform was to allow people on both sides to see that in fact there is a partner in the resolution process. The event was to have been broadcast across the world.
Some local political organizations criticized this effort. One Palestinian group said it was an attempt to declare a resolution to the conflict, without fully addressing Palestinian concerns and demands.
OneVoice at the World Economic Forum
OneVoice was featured at the 2007 World Economic ForumWorld Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
in Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. For the first time in the history of the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
, ordinary citizens were given platform to speak directly to world leaders.
For the event, OneVoice gathered hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians together in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
, and Jerusalem to film statements that would be video-cast in front of their leaders - President Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
Tzipi Livni
Tzipporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is an Israeli lawyer and politician. She is the current Israeli Opposition Leader and leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. Raised an ardent nationalist, Livni has become one of her nation's leading voices for the two-state solution. In Israel she has...
, and Vice Premier Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
- who were on stage in Davos, watching.
Citizens' Negotiations Platforms
In 2003 OneVoice launched the OneVoice Principles for Reconciliation. To date, over 600.000 people (more than 320.000 Israelis and 295.000 Palestinians) have signed up to OneVoice Principles, affirming the mutual rights of both peoples.In 2004 the Citizens’ Negotiations Platform was launched after extensive research by a panel of Israeli, Palestinian and international experts who broke the conflict down into its ten most contentious issues. Over 180,000 Israelis and Palestinians have since voted on these issues, and given their feedback on how each should be resolved. This process has educated people on the art of negotiation and created the beginning of a popular mandate for peace molded by people at a grassroots level. Results showed a high level of consensus, with 76% of both Israelis and Palestinians affirming a two state solution.
Town Hall Campaigns
OneVoice reaches out to the Israeli and Palestinian people through face-to-face ‘Town Hall’ meeting campaigns. Previous ‘Town Hall’ meeting campaigns have served as a powerful recruitment tool with an average of over 85% of those attending meetings signing up to OneVoice Principles.Joint Palestinian-Israeli Publicized Events
In 2006 OneVoice held four joint Palestinian-Israeli events, attended by Palestinian and Israeli youth leaders. The first of these activities was held in Jerusalem in February 2006. Young leaders discussed ways to achieve a workable two state solution, to end violence on both sides and to empower moderate youth. For many of the attendees it was the first time they had met a representative from the other ‘side’.Anti-Incitement in Gaza
In October 2006 OneVoice opened its field office in the Gaza Strip. OneVoice believes in the importance of establishing a concrete presence in the Gaza Strip.June 2007 Update
Circumstances in Gaza have temporarily stalled operations though the field offices remain open. Strategies and outreach tactics of OneVoice Gaza have shifted to cater to the needs and concerns of Gazans whose current priority is maintaining unity with their counterparts in the West Bank.Seven Other Children
Proceeds from stagings of the short play Seven Other ChildrenSeven Other Children
Seven Other Children is a 2009 play by Richard Stirling.The play premiered at the New End Theatre, Hampstead, London in May, 2009.-Mission:Stirling penned the play as a response to Caryl Churchill's controversial play Seven Jewish Children at the Royal Court Theatre...
are donated to OneVoice.
Leadership Development Workshops
OneVoice’s Leadership Development Workshops train young Israelis and Palestinians in the art of public speaking, conflict resolution and mobilizing support and becoming leaders within their own communities. Workshops typically take place with two or three days of intensive training, and culminate with trained Youth Leaders equipped to go out and recruit others who will empower their communities to use non-violent means to address the conflict. The most active and articulate members are able to represent the voice of Israeli and Palestinian moderates abroad as ambassadors on OneVoice’s International Education Program.Recruiting and training young leaders is a crucial and ongoing part of OneVoice’s program work in both Israel and Palestine. Through regular workshops OneVoice aims to create cohesiveness between moderate grassroots Palestinians and Israelis and emphasis that moderates should work together.
Mobilization Training Seminars
After completing Leadership Development Workshops, youth leaders participate in Mobilization Training Seminars. This enables moderates to reach out to other moderates within their societies and communities and challenges those who espouse an extremist ideology. To do this, young leaders are trained in the logistics of organizing mass rallies, democratization drives and obtaining more signatories.At the end of their training Youth Leaders are asked to set up an initial event within their communities to galvanize more support for and to publicize OneVoice. Alternatively, they may be asked to recruit more signatories who affirm OneVoice Principles. With the What Are You Willing To Do Campaign?, an existing and growing network of Youth Leaders serve the dual purpose of organizing community events and getting people to sign on to the OneVoice Principles.
Regional College Tours
Israeli and Palestinian Universities represent powerful institutions that can be forces for either progress or deterioration in Israeli-Palestinian relations. Key to OneVoice’s message and work is the need to ‘humanize’ the other side, to connect those who wish for peace and prosperity, and to isolate extremists as the outnumbered minority. In this vein, OneVoice has a program to bring Palestinian Young Leaders to Israeli campuses to speak to students, challenge dehumanizing perceptions and finding common ground.International Education Program
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is having a polarizing effect on campuses and communities around the world. The conflict is all-too-often either the cause of, or an excuse for, bad relations between different ethnic or religious groups on campuses and in communities.OneVoice’s credentials in both Israel and Palestine are what sets it apart from other organizations. By bringing these credentials to campuses and communities outside the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, OneVoice is able to hold a respected audience from groups of all backgrounds and political persuasions. This allows OneVoice to get some students who would never normally sit in the same room together, let alone applaud the same ideals, to realize that they have more in common than they could have imagined.
OneVoice Glasgow
A regional group of OneVoice was launched at 'Freshers Week' at Glasgow University in September 2008. Plans for 2008-9 include a film screening of Encounter Point, a Rally for Peace with Israeli and Palestinian guests and live music/comedy events.The initiative is supported by local politicians Ann McKechin MP, University of Glasgow Rector Charles Kennedy MP, as well as religious leaders from the Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Humanist communities in Glasgow.
Promoting complicity with Israel's human rights violations
In an article on 1 May 2009 entitled 'One Voice: manufacturing consent for Israeli apartheid' in The Electronic Intifada by Ali Abunimah, author of the book 'One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse' (Metropolitan Books, 2006), OneVoice is accused of skewing a recent public opinion poll "to influence international opinion in a direction more amenable to Israel, rather than to record faithfully the views of Palestinians or Israelis."External links
- Website for One Voice Movement
- JANERA.com Talking to Daniel LubetzkyDaniel LubetzkyDaniel Lubetzky is a serial social entrepreneur known for integrating social objectives with sustainable market-driven forces into new business models. He is the CEO and Founder of and the . He is also founder of , and the PeaceWorks Foundation’s OneVoice Movement, and co-founder of...
, founder of PeaceWorks and OneVoice, Interview by Janera Soerel