The Peace Partnership’s next gathering is planned at the coastal city of Acre, tomorrow, Wednesday (March 27), signaling an increase in the frequency of public actions, encounters and demonstrations by the coalition. The Peace Partnership, is a broad coalition of dozens of organizations, movements, groups and parties, was recently established and on January 20 organized the first demonstration against the war in Haifa and the north and on February 16 established an Arab-Jewish conference with wide participation in the city of Tira.
The partnership is built on the basis of agreement between its partners on the need to call for the implementation of five principles: An immediate agreement to end the war, prisoners deal now – all for all, promoting a political solution that will lead to an inclusive and stable peace, stopping racist and political persecution and promotion of national and civil equality and an end to the neglect of weakened and marginalized populations – who are the first to pay the price of the war.
Protest organized by the Peace Partnership calling for an end to the Gaza war and the recognition of the State of Palestine in front of the embassies of the US and France in Tel-Aviv, March 15, 2024. (Photo: Peace Partnership)
The anti-war coalition made its first public appearance in January 20 in Haifa, with a rally of Arabs and Jews that drew about 500 people. The following protest was held in February 16 in Tira, a city in the majority-Arab “triangle area” in central Israel, and drew about several hundreds. On March 9, an International Women’s Day event in Taybeh, also in the triangle, was followed by another peace rally in nearby Tira, and showed a similar attendance figure of about 300, twice what the organizers had expected.
The ceasefire rally on the main road of Tira on March 9 was welcomed by local Arab residents, with passing drivers honking in support of the protesters
It was very emotional to see Jews and Arabs standing next to each other to demand a ceasefire.
On March 13, a panel by Peace Partnership on the persecution of peace and Arab activists, “Ask for Peace and you shall be persecuted,” was held in Jerusalem with the participation of journalist Meron Rapoport, Mohammed Barakeh, chairman of the High Follow-up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel, Ir Amim director Yehudit Oppenheimer, Hadash MK Aida Touma-Sliman, and Dr. Moshe “Shiko” Behar from the Mizrahi-Civic Collective. Barakeh, a former Hadash lawmaker, was detained on November 9 as he was driving to a planned protest in Nazareth that the police alleged could “incite violence and threaten public order.”
During the panel, Touma-Sliman expressed cautious hope, saying, “There is no return to October 6, when the state of our democracy was already problematic, but maybe we can create a new reality.”
On March 15 at noon, the Peace Partnership called for demonstration in front of embassies in Tel Aviv, “demanding the recognition of the State of Palestine state now!” According the coalition, “No people can be free and safe as long as they occupy another people. The denial of the Palestinians’ national rights has been the policy of Israeli governments over many years. The horrible results blew up in all of our faces on October 7th. The Palestinian issue, which the government tried to bury inconspicuously behind ‘separation fences’, has now returned to center stage.”
“And what is the reaction of the right-wing government of Israel? An intensive effort to prevent any possibility of a Palestinian state coming into being. The war of destruction in Gaza, which makes the Strip uninhabitable, the ongoing violence all over the West Bank and ongoing expulsion of communities, and the moves to delegitimize all Palestinian leadership – all of these are designed to eliminate any chance of a Palestinian state being established.”
“In the face of these moves, members of the International Community must state a straight forward position – a Palestinian state is a vital and immediate necessity. Its sovereignty must be recognized within the internationally recognized borders – those of June 5, 1967. Recognition of the State of Palestine by the International Community, and especially by the powers that support Israel, can be a decisive step. It might bring to a successful conclusion an inclusive and calculated international struggle against the occupation and for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel,” added.
The demonstration was held in front of the embassy of France and the United States embassy demanding the recognition of a Palestinian state now. “Only a real political solution to the conflict can provide peace and security to both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Among the civil society and human rights organizations who are members of the coalition: Hadash, Young Communist League, Academia for Equality, All That’s Left, Itach-Ma’aki- Women Lawyers for Social Justice, Mothers Against Violence, Isha L’Isha Feminist Center in Haifa, The School for Peace at Neve Shalom, Gush Shalom, Democracy for All, The Bloc Against Occupation in New, Parents Against Child Detention, Zochrot, Mother’s Cry , Yesh Gvul, This is Not an Ulpan, Combatants for Peace, Mahsom Watch, Mesarvot, Women in Black, Women Against Violence, Osim Shalom -Social Workers for Peace, Oz VeShalom, Standing Together, Ir Amim, Coexistence Forum in the Negev, Parents Circle Families Forum, Psychoactive, Jordan Valley Activists, New Profile, Free Jerusalem, Rabbis for Human Rights, Mizrachi-Civic Collective, Breaking Walls, Breaking Silence, Torat Tzedek, Tandi – Democratic Women Movement in Israel, Ta’al – Arab Movement for Change, Israelis for peace – Germany, Haqel – Alliance for the Protection of Human Rights, Mothers for Life and Women Wage Peace.
