2005: Building a Grassroots Network

In order to be a true grassroots initiative in the spirit of the U.S. civil rights movement and Gandhi’s Indian independence movement, OneVoice needs a human infrastructure of dedicated, energetic youths.

Launched in 2005, OneVoice’s Youth Leadership Program bestows thousands of young Israelis and Palestinians with leadership and organization skills, empowering them to mobilize their communities and bridge the gaps between the grassroots and their elected representatives. Over 3,000 Israeli and Palestinian Youth Leaders have been trained to date.

OneVoice’s ability to mobilize Israeli and Palestinian citizens has enabled the moderate majority to make itself heard during recent critical junctures in Israeli-Palestinian history. Evidence of this mobilization can be seen in the first ever non-partisan ‘Get-Out-the-Vote’ campaign in the history of the Arab world, which OneVoice launched in 2005 to counter the Hamas and Islamic Jihad boycotts.

Now, the challenge is to generate a campaign of mobilization that not only reacts to what is going on the ground, but also drives the political agenda. Such a campaign must come from the Israeli and Palestinian people and leverage the support of other local grassroots organizations, such that political leaders in the Middle East have no choice but to heed the will of the people. OneVoice is working to ensure that One Million Voices to End the Conflict is that campaign.