October's appeal is for Standing Together
We know that the majority have far more in common than that which sets us apart and only a tiny minority benefits from the status quo. The future that we want — peace and independence for Israelis and Palestinians, full equality for everyone in this land, and true social, economic, and environmental justice — is possible. To achieve this future, we must stand together as a united front: Jewish and Palestinian, secular and religious, Mizrahi and Ashkenazi, rural and urban, and people of all genders and sexual orientations. As the largest Jewish-Arab grassroots movement in Israel, we are committed to creating an alternative to our existing reality and building the political strength to make this transformation possible.
The current socio-political reality in Israel is unbearable. Unending occupation feeds violence, fear, and hatred between Israelis and Palestinians. Economic inequality is widening. Poverty is deepening. Israel’s Palestinian minority faces increasing discrimination. Women, Mizrahim, immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, the elderly, and people with disabilities are marginalized socially, economically, and politically….
Rather than seriously address these problems, our political leaders use fear and racism to divide us. Instead of providing genuine security solutions, they deliver never-ending wars. Rather than serve the majority, they look out only for the rich….
To build peace, equality, and climate justice, we need a mass movement….. Many people want progressive change: they support peace and oppose the occupation, they support equality and oppose racism, they support social justice and oppose rule by wealth. They need a movement to unite them, inspire them to take action, and turn their solidarity into a powerful political force. Standing Together is this movement. We are building a shared home for all those who refuse hatred and choose empathy. We won’t erase our differences, but rather believe in a true partnership based on shared interests. This is the meaning of Standing Together.
From a webinar I learnt that Standing Together works with many other organisations, building coalitions, recognising that all issues are related to each other and to daily life. It is the largest Israeli-Arab organisation, with 4000 members at the beginning of this year, and is well staffed. Before the current war they had had some success.
Rather than concentrating on whether the political conflict requires a one- or two-state solution, Standing Together wants to create real and complete alternatives to current politics, not only about war but also about issues at the municipal level, such as rents and equality. They believe that grass roots demand for change on every level will also translate to national issues.
Standing Together seems to me to put into action an approach to peace and peace-making that is very similar to the Quaker approach. This is sadly rare in our world, and not nearly as well known as it should be.
The organisation depends heavily on donations, and I hope, Friends, that you will feel moved to give it your support.
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