By Mubarak Awad, founder Nonviolence International
President Trump and his son-in-law’s “peace” plan would worsen the long term subjugation of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza and even Israel itself. This is a plan for extended injustice, second class citizenship, and continuing hatred. Sooner or later, if implemented, it will erupt into the opposite of peace, not to speak of solidifying a deepened antipathy towards the United States.
Many Israelis and Americans don’t support this plan. This is a campaign stunt orchestrated by President Trump to support his own re-election campaign, as well as Bibi Netanyahu’s. This peace plan is akin to one hand clapping, (or perhaps better said, one hand slapping) since only the Israelis were consulted, and therefore only their interests were considered.
This plan would give Israel all it has sought during decades of conflict, including nearly all Palestinian land on which Israel has built settlements, the Jordan Valley and almost the totality of Jerusalem . Palestinian leaders have denounced the plan as "a new Balfour Declaration" that heavily favors Israel and would deny them a viable independent state.
Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, particularly Israel's settlements in the West Bank, has been declared illegal by the United Nations and the International Court of Justice. . Security Council Resolution 2334 states that Israel's settlement activity constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and has no legal validity. As long ago as 1978, and repeatedly since then, the U.S. State Department opined that the settlements were “inconsistent with international law”.
Palestinians and the entire world will resist. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has rejected US President Donald Trump's recently unveiled Middle East plan. The 57-member body, which held a summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on February 3 to discuss the plan, said in a statement that it, "calls on all member states not to engage with this plan or to cooperate with the US administration in implementing it in any form.” The European Union is also in opposition.
With the announcement of the Trump administration's "deal of the century" on January 28, the Palestinian Authority (PA) sprung into action. Within hours of the White House ceremony, at which US President Donald Trump released the details of his plan, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said, "a thousand no's to the deal of the century”.
But we need to understand the Palestinian context in which this imperial decree is landing.
By now, many Palestinians have lost trust in the Palestinian leadership. They see the PA--despite its protestations against the Plan--as in many respects little more than an Israeli cat’s paw in their oppression. For example, many know that the PA's threats to cut ties with Israel's intelligence agencies are empty ones. In 2017, the PA announced that it had cut ties and it was subsequently found that 95 percent of security coordination with Israel was maintained. Apart from clamping down on Palestinian dissent, the Palestinian leadership, whether in the West Bank or Gaza, has also sought to control mass mobilization for its short-sighted political goals. The PA and other Palestinian factions and political parties consider Palestinian protest to be a weapon only when it suits them or is led by them.
The PA’s attitude, along with years of suppression of nonviolent dissent and harassment of civil society has added another layer of repression - on top of the Israeli occupation- leaving Palestinians disenchanted and damaging their ability to effectively mobilize for their rights and dignity. Over the years, many stopped seeing a reason to take to the streets because their nonviolent protest would either be brutally cracked down on or co-opted by political forces they see as illegitimate. It is no wonder then that when the PA called for mass mobilization in the streets against the "deal of the century" few turned up. Today, the PA is only able to mobilize those loyal to its political structures and its partisan arm - Fatah. To get a crowd in Ramallah, it had to bus people in from outside the city.
But despite the political and moral bankruptcy of their leaders, Palestinians have not despaired. They will continue their struggle for justice, rights, and the end of the Israeli occupation and apartheid. They continue to mobilize despite their leaders’ complicity with Israel.
The spirit of the Palestinian Street is alive, and it can no longer be manipulated by duplicitous political forces. It will only come out in defense of the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people.
Palestinians have no choice but to unify across party and geographic lines. Hamas and Fatah and civil society must start talking with each other and publicly speak with one voice. Palestinians facing apartheid in Israel, exile in refugee camps, occupation, and prisons, must increase cooperation and mutual support. Internationally, countries and civil society must stand up for human rights and international law. The Arab street is unified in support of Palestinians and their governments must support Palestinians or face peril.
Palestinians should ignore the Trump administration. They must talk directly to Israelis and find ways of communicating in good spirit both by action and deeds. Israel’s efforts to use US dominance to impose its will in the Middle East will end in a disaster for everyone.
As a long time leader for a two-state solution, I am calling on Palestinian intellectuals to help the Authority to develop a different plan that focusses on a “ONE STATE SOLUTION.” Israel has twisted a two-state option into Gaza as a rump Palestinian state connected to a Bantustan-like polity on the West Bank. A one-state democratic solution means all will be equal; Israel can call itself a Jewish/Israeli state and Palestinians can call it an Arab State. Mutual respect and equal rights are the only way to end apartheid, and to end the violence and hatred between the two sides. Genuine equality is far more important than the names and titles given to political entities.
I call on Americans and Israelis to reject this campaign stunt and to support genuine equality and mutuality as the basis for peace. As Dr. Martin Luther King said, we can choose nonviolence or nonexistence. Let’s choose nonviolence.
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As we start the Holy month of Ramadan, we would like to highlight one of our newest partners, Global Committee for Dignity for Palestinians, a locally-led, grassroots effort to raise funds and mobilize resources to meet critical health needs such as access to food, water, and shelter. The Gaza community is facing unprecedented daily attacks and campaigns of ethnic cleansing that uses starvation and cutting of basic medical needs as a weapon. This is a project that is committed to the resiliency and steadfastness of the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip.
Dignity for Palestinians (D4P) was founded in March 2024 by Dr. Musallam Abukhalil, who was at the time a leading physician and manager of a primary care clinic within a school shelter in Western Nusierat, in the Gaza Strip. With extensive first-hand experience addressing the medical needs of the local shelter community, which serves a population of at least 25,000 according to official figures, Musallam realized that his role as a clinician wasn't enough. Donations allow D4P to Musallam and his colleagues to continue their initiatives, which include providing:
- Emergency food supplies
- Essential medicines
- Nutritional support for infants and toddlers
- Safe drinking water
- Cash assistance for orphaned children, and more
Since its founding a year ago, D4P has delivered over $150,000 in resources to assist the most vulnerable and fragile groups within and beyond the local shelter community.
Photo 1: Eid Chocolate bar for Children Distribution, April 14, 2024.
As funding and support from USAID and other organizations is ending, and humanitarian aid access to the strip has been shut down again by the Israeli government, D4P’s work is now more important than ever. They are working to expand beyond their current footprint to Northern Gaza and elsewhere throughout the strip and make their distributions more frequent.
One day before Ramadan on February 28, the D4P team distributed food parcels to displaced families in Al-Maghazi and Al-Bureij camps. These areas have faced severe destruction, with 40% of the infrastructure leveled, leaving families in critical conditions.
Each parcel includes essentials:
- Rice, lentils, cooking oil, sugar, salt
- Canned beans, chickpeas, pasta
- Tea, halva, sesame butter, cheese, macaroni, dates, and strawberry jam
Photo 2: February 28, 2025 Distribution
In Al-Maghazi, they focused on large families with no income, orphaned children, and people with disabilities. The camp’s infrastructure is heavily damaged, making daily survival a struggle.
In Al-Bureij, they reached families from Eastern Bureij, an area now reduced to rubble. The camp has a volunteer-run medical point, and D4P provided parcels to their families as a gesture of gratitude. These volunteers offer critical care without salaries, leaving their own families in need.
Photo 3: February 28, 2025 Distribution
To learn more about Dignity for Palestinians and support their work, visit their partner page on NVI’s website and scroll to the bottom of the page to donate! (preferably monthly?)
You can also follow them on Instagram @dignity4palestine and on their Dignity for Palestinians Campaign Facebook page.
Please consider contributing Zakat and/or funds if you are able, and share with others who may be willing to contribute as well.
Thank you for your support, and Ramadan Mubarak.
PS: Nonviolence International congratulates Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal, and Rachel Szor on their Oscar win for their powerful documentary, No Other Land. Your courageous storytelling amplifies the daily struggle for justice in Palestine and inspires us all to stand in unwavering solidarity with those defending their land, their rights, and their dignity around the world.
Empathy
By Jonathan Kuttab
One thing that is always missing in people’s approach to Palestine/Israel is empathy: the ability to put yourself in the shoes of another person, see things from their perspective, and be willing to apply to yourself the same standards you apply to others. In short, it is the Golden Rule promulgated by Christianity, Judaism and Islam among others. This is lacking among most of the antagonists on the ground, but it is also equally lacking in many of their respective supporters abroad.
The lack of empathy became crystal clear this past week in the public discourses surrounding Israeli and Palestinian babies:
The entire nation of Israel was gripped by a frenzy of anguish and disgust over confirmation of the deaths and release of the bodies of the Bibas babies, Ariel and Kfir, aged 9 months and 4 years old, who were kidnapped together with their mother on October 7. The manner in which their bodies were returned (including the snafu of initially returning the wrong body of the mother) as part of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel was also a subject of fraught discussion. Haaretz reports that the reactions of the Israeli public, politicians, and commentators were the fiercest they had been since October 7. Israeli officials further claimed that their forensic examination indicates that the babies had been “beaten to death by hand,” not killed in an Israeli air strike as Hamas claims. Neither account of their death could be verified independently. Amidst the anguish and trauma, calls for vengeance, genocide, and the killing of all Gazans have been nearly unprecedented. While I do not know a single Palestinian who justifies the kidnapping of babies and I have seen no reports of anyone making statements supporting it, the reaction by most Palestinians was to repeat the Hamas line that they had been killed by an Israeli airstrike and that Hamas had offered to return their bodies as late as November. Few offered any heartfelt regret, apology, or understanding for the horror, anguish, and utter depravity of kidnapping innocent babies in the first place. That was a clear failure of empathy.
Meanwhile, the heart-wrenching story appeared about seven Palestinian babies who died of hyperthermia in Gaza from the cold weather this week. Their homes had been destroyed, and their families could not get heat in their tents or the prefabricated caravans, promised but not delivered which had been part of the agreement. There was insufficient fuel and no medical facilities. Seven babies died from the cold, and others are in critical conditions at the understaffed remains of medical facilities still operating in Gaza. These babies will be added to the long list of babies killed in Gaza, including the ones left in the incubators at the Nasser Hospital when it was forcibly evacuated and were left to die as the Israeli army failed to care for them. Israeli (and especially US) media failed to mention those babies and their deaths. Their names are not known, and their numbers are disputed (as Palestinian sources are continually treated with suspicion). Some popular Israeli social media accounts even mocked and gloated over their deaths. Again, this is a massive failure in the display of empathy.
The point is not to show who suffered more, or even to pretend there is any symmetry between the two sides. Each and every death of these babies is a tragedy of immense dimensions. One baby killed, one innocent life snuffed out is equivalent to the destruction of an entire universe. And, failure to give proper dignity to the enemy deceased is equally appalling on both sides. Rather than use these outrages as a call for revenge and justification for further atrocities, or excuse them by pointing to atrocities on the other side, there is a need for empathy, compassion and deep understanding of the sorrow of others and of their loss and grief.
This is not just a call for fairness, justice and equity. It is a basic need for the survival of all people. Whatever the past injustices or traumas experienced by anyone, the current reality is that 14 million people currently live in the Holy Land, roughly half of them Jewish and the other half Arab, and they seem destined to live together for the foreseeable future. They cannot however enjoy any kind of life if either of them thinks of the other as subhuman or illegitimate, as totally evil, vile creatures who need to be destroyed, denied equal rights, or physically eliminated. Empathy begins the process of healing our traumas and forces us to think of new modalities of behavior that include the rights and humanity of others.
As Palestinians and Israeli Jews struggle with the herculean task of exercising empathy, despite their own fears or traumas, there is absolutely no excuse for failure of those of us with a little more distance from the horror to exercise empathy and recognize the humanity of all God’s children—if only for the babies involved.
Remember Dr. King's statement that humanity MUST choose between nonviolence or nonexistence? The answer is obvious and we need to build global movements that use the tools and values of nonviolence now more than ever.
Not including NVI, below are 17 leading groups that inspire, train or mobilize nonviolent resistance and social change. All work multi-nationally and across multiple social movements.
Please consider becoming a consistent monthly or annual donor and ask yourself if you can devote 1% of your income to the global nonviolence movement. Can you devote $/€ 5/month to each of them? Please, also, contact them or visit them and see how you can volunteer.
All of these groups are in financial need and have great potential. Those with asterixes are in most need. Please flag/star this email so that you can come back to it repeatedly and try not to skim. (They are listed here in no particular order).
*Africans Rising- “The Movement envisions that Africa-wide activism, solidarity and unity of purpose of the Peoples of Africa will build the future they want – a right to justice, peace, dignity and shared prosperity.”
Acción Noviolenta en las Américas- “Education, Training and Research in the Americas in Spanish, French and Portuguese.’ Please join the webinars that we co-organize with them.
The Institute Novact of Nonviolence “is a non-profit association dedicated to conflict transformation and peacebuilding. It has been working in the Euro-Mediterranean region for more than 20 years."
CANVAS-”From CANVAS' headquarters in Belgrade, Serbia, we operate a network of international trainers and consultants with expertise in building and running successful nonviolent movements. We work to build more just, democratic, and responsible society.” Srda Popovich and Slobodan Djinovic are brilliant people-power coaches.
Commons Library: A world-class open English library of training and organizing materials. Also grassroots-engaged and activist in Australia. Operates on a shoe-string.
Ekta Parishad “is a mass-based peoples’ movement for land rights with an active membership of 250,000 landless poor and is regarded as the biggest peoples’ movement in India with an iconic status globally. Since its inception as a Gandhian organization in 1989, Ekta Parishad is constantly promoting nonviolence as a way of struggle, dialogue, and constructive actions toward building a peaceful and just society.”Ekta Parishad is a mass-based with an iconic status globally." Ramesh Sharma is simply brilliant.
*Kawakibbi Foundation “is an organisation which merges intellectual research with activism. The foundation was born out of the Arab Spring, and we work towards a world free of tyranny and in which society trumps the state, extremism in all its forms have no appeal, and individual rights are sacrosanct.’ NVI met with Ahmed Gatnash this year and was so impressed that we will soon fiscally sponsor them.
NVXXI-Non-Violence XXI “est une association française qui collecte des dons et des legs depuis 2001 dans le but de financer des projets à caractère non-violent et de promouvoir concrètement la culture de la non-violence au 21e siècle en France et dans le monde. Elle regroupe aujourd’hui les principales organisations non-violentes françaises.”
Mouvement pour une Alternative Non-violente. “Founded in 1974, MAN aims to put forward the specific contribution of non-violence in the everyday life, education and social and political fights. MAN wants to promote the principles and methods of nonviolent strategy, to support a positive resolution of the interpersonal, intercommunity or international conflicts. By thinking, acting and training, MAN thus seeks to promote justice and freedom.”
Beautiful Trouble. A great online resource center for creative nonviolent action and training. A leader in support of artistic activism and social change. It's co-led by the extraordinary Nadine Bloch.
Metta Center & Nonviolence Radio. They have wonderful podcasts and many Gandhian inspired resources. Michael Nagler and Stephanie Van Hook are a treasure.
Pace E Bene: “Founded in 1989 by the Franciscan Friars of California, Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service is now an independent, non-denominational 501(c)3 organization spreading the power of nonviolence. “Pace e Bene” (pronounced “pah-chay bay-nay”) is an Italian greeting from St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi meaning “Peace and all Good.” Pace E Bene coordinates Campaign Nonviolence with the help of the indefatigable Ken Butigan and many others.
Nonviolence News “Each week, Nonviolence News brings 30-50 stories of “nonviolence in action” to readers, illuminating the scale and scope of how nonviolence is actively shaping our world.” This weekly newsletter is the best site for nonviolent action news and movements, thanks to the superstar Rivera Sun.
Waging Nonviolence: “Waging Nonviolence is a nonprofit media organization dedicated to providing original reporting and expert analysis of social movements around the world. With a commitment to accuracy, transparency and editorial independence, we examine today’s most crucial issues by shining a light on those who are organizing for just and peaceful solutions.” They have great in-depth articles about nonviolent movements. NVI fiscally sponsored WN for years before they spun off under the inspired leadership of Eric Stoner and others.
*Solidarity 2020 and Beyond “is one of the broadest international networks composed of grassroots leaders utilizing nonviolent action to work together strategically on key issues at the local and international level including climate crisis, women's rights, anti-authoritarianism, indigenous and land rights, and self-determination. S2020B is active in 100+ countries, mainly in the Global South, where we build people power and impact by providing expert level training and spaces for members to learn and share with each other., trauma healing and self-care, participatory research projects, and emergency and small grants to empower locally led initiatives working for peace with justice and positive change. We provide small grants to locally-led advocacy campaigns and activities such as International Peace Day for youth in Kenya; nonviolent action training workshops in Mekong River countries and Palestine; Social Justice clubs in Uganda, environmentalists in El Salvador, and support for tribal and marketplace women in Cameroon and India. Dr. Stephen Zunes, a S2020B Organizing Committee member describes S2020B as "the most effective and efficient international network of grassroots activists making a real difference in the world that I have had the pleasure to work with". NVI fiscally sponsors S2020B and its Director Katherine Hughes-Fraitekh.
Training For Change: “Training for Change is a training and capacity building organization for activists and organizers. They believe strong training and group facilitation is vital to movement building for social justice and radical change. One of the great training collectives”. Founded by none other than our dear friend George Lakey.
*Nonviolence Education and Research Center in Turkey. This is the primary resource center for the many countries with Turkish language speakers supporting all kinds of marginalized communities. Training, research, activism in a challenging environment. Based in Istanbul. NVI helped found this center.
Sincerely,
Sami Awad & Michael Beer, Co-Directors
P.S. Please let us know of more groups that we could highlight next year. If you are really wanting to focus on Palestine, please look at NVI's remarkable partners who are supporting Israelis and Palestinians who seek to build a shared future together.
Job Fair at the US Senate to Protest Illegal Firings
This week, NVI Director Michael Beer, helped launch a “Job Fair” at the US Senate. Each day this week, illegally fired federal workers have walked into senate offices with resumes asking for jobs. These federal workers meet with Senators and staff and tell their stories of being fired from US Aid for International Development, Social Security, National Institutes of Health, and Department of Energy and many others.
Many of them had worked in the government for less than 2 years. Many have worked for decades and had strong job performance evaluations. All were highly skilled and some had previously worked for much higher salaries in the private sector. They fear that the vital work of their agencies will be dismantled and that people around the world will suffer because of the damage done to health and energy research or a sudden halt in humanitarian aid.
Here are some articles about the unconventional lobbying.
Here is a Washington Post Article.
You can hear some of these workers in their own words.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGV7h1Gx2sR/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGdvjVExh0L/
Most of these folks have never lobbied before. But they are angry and want to do something. Hopefully they can persuade/pressure Senators to stand up to Musk and Trump and stop these attacks on federal workers and on these congressionally funded agencies.
These firings are an attempt to cripple government services and force them to be privatized. Other agencies like the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau are cops who prevent and reverse financial fraud perpetrated by big firms and the oligarchs.
Others are doing a sit-in as we do this write-up.
Here is a good primer for those looking for something to do.
https://choosedemocracy.us/what-can-i-do/
Also, take a look at NVI’s huge database of 346 nonviolent tactics and get inspired and the number of things you can do.