Darkenu

In recent years, Israel has experienced greater political fracturing and polarization, with the civil discourse coarsening, and the constituency championing an end to conflict and a more tolerant vision of Israel shrinking. The collapse in the diplomatic process, the violence of the Second Intifada and the volatility in the Greater Middle East have all been factors in this process, and yet a majority of Israelis want to place the country on a very different path: one of peace, co-existence and social progress. 

Darkenu (literally meaning “our way” or “through us” in Hebrew) is the movement for and of those very same Israelis, and is the largest organization of its kind in Israel. With nearly 200,000 registered supporters, chapters across Israel and thousands of volunteers drawn from every element of Israeli society, Darkenu is redefining, building and mobilizing a massive and dynamic civil society movement that promotes these following core values:

Hope: The people in Israel are tired and hopeless after having been told for years that the threat of terror will persist and that they must accept this situation and “live by the sword forever.” Darkenu believes that a better future is possible, and that it is everyone’s responsibility to build it.

Strength: The future of the Jewish people can only be secure if Israel is strong. This means investing not just in defense, but also in a pluralistic and rich civil society that provides economic opportunity. Only a strong, confident and moral country can take the brave and necessary steps to thrive in generations to come.

Security: For Israel, security is not just about more tanks and planes; it’s about making the people of Israel feel safe. Leaders must make decisions based on legitimate security needs rather than political interests or extremist ideologies. 

Responsibility: Darkenu recognizes that courageous leaders can lead a people to a better future, but everyday Israelis must take the fate of their country into their own hands. If control can be taken back from the extremists, then the people of Israel can begin to repair the damage of recent years and remake the country. Darkenu encourages Israelis to be the brave men and women they have been waiting for.

Partnership: Despite what some leaders try to suggest, Darkenu believes that there is much more that unites Israeli than divides, and that a broad coalition exists—left and right, religious and secular, Arab and Jewish—that can take Israel forward. Certain politicians stoke the flames of difference in order to retain power. By reaching out to all corners of society, Darkenu empowers Israelis to work together, to overcome the country’s greatest challenges, both internal and external.

Darkenu’s Vision for Israel:

• A two-state solution that guarantees Israel’s security and ends all claims'
• The fulfilment of Israel’s founding fathers’ and mothers’ dream—Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people and a democratic state for all of its citizens;
• Social justice and civil solidarity; and 
• The eradication of all forms of racism, violence, extremism and discrimination.

To learn more about Darkenu's work, visit their website and like their English language Facebook page. 

To support their work, make a donation (select Darkenu as the program you would like to support).

Zimam

Zimam (literally meaning “reins,” but also “taking the initiative” in Arabic) serves as a platform where Palestinian youth can work to create the conditions for conflict resolution and social progress, and nonviolently resist the occupation and settlement expansion, providing a peaceful and effective path towards statehood.

With dozens of chapters across Palestine—in both the West Bank and Gaza—Zimam activists work to promote the values of democracy, freedom, justice, and moderation through sustained efforts that draw upon the most sophisticated international organizing methods, and provide opportunities and training so that young Palestinians can be genuine leaders within their communities. These localized activities which take place on a daily basis are supported by large, highly visible national campaigns, designed to strengthen support for Zimam’s core values:

Non-Violence: Zimam believes that violence will never result in the realization of Palestinians’ national aspirations. Through educational and social outreach programs, they work to instill respect for the power of non-violence, freedom, and justice among the various segments of Palestinian society.

Anti-Extremism: As the plague of extremism continues to ravage the peoples of the Middle East from Syria and Libya to Afghanistan, Zimam remains firm in its rejection of such dangerous ideologies—from both practical and ethical grounds. Instead, Zimam understands that tolerance, moderation, and understating have the unique potential to bring about true and lasting change.

International Cooperation: Zimam aims to establish a network of individuals, institutions, movements and parties—particularly within the Arab world—that share their vision and values. In building a coalition of moderates supportive of Palestinian rights, a movement will be built allowing for an end to occupation and the conflict once and for all.

Democracy: For Zimam, their ultimate vision is a democratic Palestinian state where all are respected and treated equally, regardless of politics, language, religion, gender and color. Ultimately, Zimam envisions a culture of broad civic participation in national and local Palestinian politics.

National Unity and Pluralism: While external forces have served to deny the Palestinian people their right to self-determination for decades, internal divisions have undeniably played a factor in prolonging the situation. Zimam understands that Palestinians must be united in order to overcome the obstacles that remain, and that such unity does not demand conformity—acceptance of difference and the embrace of pluralism must be a part of Palestine from the state’s foundation. 

Zimam’s Vision for Palestine:

• A two-state solution that results in the establishment of an independent, democratic, liberal, secular, and sovereign state of Palestine;
• The resolution of all outstanding claims and grievances; and
• A tolerant and open society, free from discrimination and extremism.

To learn more about Zimam's work, visit their website and like their Arabic language Facebook page. 

To support their work, make a donation (select Zimam as the program you would like to support).

Based in London, but with a network of supporters and partners across the continent, OneVoice Europe (OVE) is a registered UK charity that raises funds for OneVoice’s strategic partners in Palestine and Israel, as well as promoting pragmatic, solutions-oriented activism around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Europe.

OVE’s focus is on mobilizing Europeans to take a win-win, future-focused approach in their dialogue and activism, connecting EU university students of all backgrounds and faiths to activities and initiatives of OneVoice’s partner organisations in Israel and Palestine, and to their counterparts on US campuses.

OVE is uniquely placed to convey the wishes and demands of grassroots activists in Palestine and Israel to some of the most important policymakers and opinion-formers in Europe and further afield. Our work has earned the support of senior figures such as Senator George Mitchell, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, former European Parliament President Hans Hans-Gert Pöttering, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and former Foreign Secretary David Miliband. The non-partisan, solutions-driven approach has also seen OneVoice Europe commended by representatives from across the political spectrum in the UK House of Commons, the House of Lords, the Northern Irish Assembly and the European Parliament.

Individuals and communities in Europe—not just politicians—have a key role to play in helping provide support to Israelis and Palestinians who are seeking a way out of conflict. The polarization—and sometimes racism—that arises thousands of miles from Jerusalem not only damages community cohesion, it can also help entrench rejectionist positions in both Israel and Palestine. OVE seeks instead to create a community where people can be pro-Israel or pro-Palestine, but also pro-solution, working to create a broad coalition that can show solidarity and support for grassroots activists working in promote an end to conflict on both sides of the Green Line.    

Solutions Not Sides

Established in 2011, the Solutions Not Sides Education Programme is a separate project of OneVoice Europe with its own, unique mission and brand, and an independent advisory board made up of a broad cross-section of community leaders and educators.

Designed to deal with the fall-out of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Europe, it is a non-partisan educational project for young people, aged 15-25, to counter anti-Semitic and Islamophobic narratives related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to equip young people to embrace diversity of identity and opinion on this issue.

Sessions are held in schools, universities, and community groups. The annual Student Leadership Programme also provides an intensive educational opportunity for students aged 18-25.

The programme encourages empathy amongst youth of all backgrounds, creates safe spaces to ask difficult questions and have tough conversations about the conflict, Judaism and Islam; and works to debunk the myth that Muslims and Jews should inevitably be in conflict, or that there is an endemic clash between ‘Western’ and ‘Muslim’ civilizations.

Students have the rare opportunity to meet young Palestinian and Israeli speakers from a variety of different partner organizations and to discover the grassroots perspectives and needs of those who want peace, rather than the messaging of those with partisan, political agendas that they normally see in the media.

The main message of the programme is “not simply pro-Israel or pro-Palestine, above all, pro-Solution”, and it does not have a political agenda, nor does it prescribe a particular solution. Instead, its recommended approach for international students is based upon principles that will lead to a win-win outcome for the human beings on both sides. I

To learn more about Solutions Not Side's work, visit their website and like their Facebook page. 

To support their work, make a donation.

Headquartered in New York City, with regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, OneVoice United States (OVUS) serves as a bridge connecting the expansive diaspora Jewish and Arab communities of North America, as well as other allies and American citizens, with OneVoice’s partner organizations in Israel and Palestine.

For many years, OVUS ran an International Engagement Program (IEP) in conjunction with OneVoice Europe (OVE). Activists from Palestine and Israel were invited to universities and communities across the United States, ultimately engaging more than 21,000 people in educational discussions relating to the historical and daily realities of the conflict. In light of structural changes and the emergence of Darkenu and Zimam as dynamic movements within their own rights, OVUS and OVE have been able to look towards new methods of inspiring activism domestically, prompting the creation of OneVoice on Campus in the United States.

OneVoice on Campus

OneVoice on Campus is a fellowship program designed to empower students with the necessary tools and resources to make a meaningful impact in promoting a solutions-oriented approach on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Recognizing that this is a regional conflict with global implications and international factors, and that the United States undoubtedly plays a role in the perpetuation of the situation, OneVoice on Campus aims to galvanize students to play an active role in bringing about the international conditions necessary for a negotiated and non-violent resolution.

In line with the OneVoice Movement’s founding ethos, OneVoice on Campus recognizes that young people not only bring a new energy and insight that may prove critical to reaching a solution, but that they will be the ones who go on to serve as leaders of their communities. A shift needs to take place in American society, and OneVoice on Campus believe that students can be the drivers of that change if given the necessary tools and resources.

As student participants come from a wide range of religious, national, cultural, and political backgrounds, and considering their involvement in other organizations such as Hillel, J Street U, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Black Lives Matters, Campus Fellows approach the conflict from a variety of perspectives. All are united, however, by a firm belief in the three core principles of OneVoice on Campus: an urgent need to end the Israeli occupation, the establishment of a two-state solution in accordance with international law and previous bi-lateral agreements, and the assurance of liberty and equality for all peoples in both societies.

OneVoice on Campus invest heavily in Fellows, who become key players in the international OneVoice Movement and are encouraged to interact with their counterparts in Europe, Palestine, and Israel. They receive in-depth and state-of-the-art training, and regularly work with activists and experts across the globe to mobilize their fellow students, harness the energy on campus, and learn the skills needed to be the drivers of change.

OneVoice on Campus is currently active on more than 20 campuses across four metropolitan areas—the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, New England, and the Northeast. However, the movement is spreading quickly. If you think your campus could use a OneVoice presence, let us know! Applications are now open. Visit the OneVoice on Campus webpage to learn more.

To learn more about OneVoice on Campus' work, visit their website and like the OneVoice Facebook page. 

To support their work, make a donation.