“The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.” Marcel Proust

We are living in a time of unprecedented change. Old systems are collapsing and uncertainty is rising. Trust in leadership is eroding. Our institutions — political, social, religious, and even activists — are struggling to inspire faith, courage, or direction. Leaders rise, but few lead — the best ones are trying their best to manage crises after crises, caught in the same cycles they were meant to transform.

When it comes to true leadership, vision has been replaced by visibility and noise has taken the place of wisdom. We are drowning in information but starving for insight. In the landscapes we live in, leadership as we know it is no longer enough.

The challenges we face, such as climate collapse, systemic injustice, polarization, and despair cannot be solved by the same mindset that created them. What is needed is not better management of the old, but the birth of the new.

A new kind of leadership. A nonlinear one.
Leadership that emerges from consciousness, not control.
From vision, not fear.
From possibility, not precedent.

Nonlinear Leadership was created for those who feel this tension; leaders, changemakers, and activists who know that something deeper must shift.
It is for those ready to think differently, act courageously, and lead from vision rather than fear.

• Are you in a leadership position but find yourself struggling to move forward efficiently and effectively? 
• Are you an activist striving to make a difference but feel stuck?
• Do you want to have a breakthrough and lead with more clarity and confidence?
• Are you seeking to achieve greater results in your life and for those around you?

Join Nonviolence International in the launch of our second online training program, and designed to develop strong and effective leadership for the challenges of our time. It will begin on January 10th, at 11AM ET and 6PM Jerusalem time, on a weekly basis, until February 14th.

What is the Nonlinear Leadership Development Program?

This is a deep personal development journey designed to awaken your inner leadership.
It gives you tools to make the impossible possible—in your personal life, your work, your community, and your country.

Developed from the pioneering work of Miki Walleczek, Nonlinear Leadership begins at the individual level. It reconnects you with your innate creativity, intelligence, and responsibility, giving you access to action through the power of nonlinear thinking and language.

Participants first cultivate inner clarity and vision—discovering what it truly means to lead—and then expand their leadership into the collective, building communities capable of self-organization, innovation, and sustained transformation.

This approach helps distinguish facts from interpretations, moving beyond the weight of the past to act from future possibilities. Through this, participants engage in deep reflection, challenge limiting mindsets, and foster environments where people can thrive amidst uncertainty and change.

The training will be facilitated by Sami Awad, Co-Director of Nonviolence International.

What will you learn?

• Deal effectively with challenges and breakdowns on personal, professional, community, and national levels.
• Build relationships based on mutual trust and respect.
• Respond effectively to what is happening here and now.
• Create bold, future-driven visions that honor but are not bound by the past.
• Accomplish breakthrough results.
• Lead purposeful, outcome-oriented meetings.
• Understand and harness the power of context in leadership.
• Build networks that empower and sustain your vision.

What will you accomplish?

• Gain access to powerful, action-oriented language.
• Learn nonlinear tools applicable across all dimensions of life.
• Free yourself from constraints of the past.
• Create an inspiring and transformative future for yourself, your community, and your organization.
• Build self-organizing networks that turn the impossible into reality.
• Engage with the principles of nonlinearity, self-organization, and emergence.
• Strengthen your sense of self-responsibility and clarity in decision-making.

We welcome:

• Leaders committed to building a future founded on nonviolence, justice, equality, and peace.
• Leaders ready to create breakthroughs in their lives and work.
• Those seeking to challenge what they know and open new possibilities.
• Anyone willing to learn, grow, and explore new approaches to leadership.

Participation is limited to 30 people, ensuring an intimate and high-impact learning experience.

Contribution:

The full program value is $600, but Nonviolence International is committed to accessibility.
We invite voluntary contributions based on each participant’s ability to give, ensuring no one is turned away for financial reasons.

Apply Now

If you’re ready to redefine what leadership and community means in your life.
If you’re ready to think and act beyond the limits of linear systems - then this program is for you.

To apply, please fill in the following form.

Western Sahara Solidarity Committee 

Who We Are?

• The Western Sahara Solidarity Committee (WSSC) was formed in 2025 to help support the struggle for self-determination in Western Sahara, which has increasingly come under attack by its occupier, Morocco, and western countries who are promoting the ongoing colonization of Western Sahara under the guise of autonomy.

How Did We Start?

• In March of 2022, a group of unarmed civilian protectors gained entrance into Western Sahara to serve as witnesses to the Moroccan siege on the home of Sahrawi human rights defenders Sultana and Luara Khaya. The Khaya sisters are members of the Saharawi Organ against the Moroccan Occupation (ISACOM), an organization founded in September 2020 to advocate for the right of non-violent self-determination for people in Western Sahara and to work for the release of Saharawi political prisoners. 
• The individuals who helped organize that trip, together with new volunteers and Sahrawi organizers, have formed the WSSC as a means to draw attention to the ongoing struggle which has persevered since the United Nations' first call for decolonization in 1965 and the formation of the indigenous Sahrawi independence movement in 1973.

Modern Day Imperialism in Western Sahara

• Since November 2020, Moroccan authorities have intensified their crackdown on pro-independence Sahrawi activists through arrests, ill-treatment, and harassment aimed at silencing dissent. Amnesty International documented abuses against 22 individuals, including torture, house raids, and detention for peaceful acts like social media posts, protests, and displaying the Sahrawi flag. Such repression followed by clashes in Al Guerguerat, where Moroccan forces dismantled a peaceful Sahrawi protest camp. 
• Both Western Sahara and Palestine are recognized by the United Nations as non-self-governing territories with unresolved status. Morocco claims sovereignty over Western Sahara, while Israel asserts control over the West Bank, East Jerusalem. In both cases, the indigenous populations–Sahrawis and Palestinians–continue to demand self-determination, which is systematically denied by the occupying power.   
• The Sahrawi struggle In 1975, Morocco invaded the territory following the departure of the Spanish colonizers, and has occupied Western Sahara ever since.  Following years of armed struggle, a ceasefire was brokered by the UN in 1991 which included a provision to hold a referendum on self-determination. That referendum has yet to take place. 
• In recent years, the Moroccan government has been pushing an autonomy plan of its own creation and without the input of Sahrawis or their elected representatives, which would continue the colonization of Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty.
• As part of Morocco's agreement to normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords (announced in December 2020), the United States under President Trump recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara. This was the first time a Western power took such a position publicly. This was followed by Spain recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2022, Israel in 2023, France in 2024, and the United Kingdom in 2025. 
• To be clear, although the governments of these countries have recognized Moroccan sovereignty, these moves have been opposed by members and organizations of their civil society. Western Sahara remains a "non-self governing territory" as recognized by the United Nations, and a plurality of countries support the right to self-determination in Western Sahara.
  
  

What Are Some Of The Values We Reflect? 

• Respect for human rights to include the right to self-determination
• True decolonization rather than imperialism by other means
• A commitment to the principles of nonviolence

What Are Some Of The Approaches We Employ To Pursue Our Goals?

• Education and increased awareness of the history and current brutal occupation of Western Sahara by Moroccan forces
• Grassroots campaigns in support of the Sahrawi quest for self-determination
• Encourage U.S. policy to align with the ideals of decolonization and human rights

Fiscal Sponsorship:  

• WSSC is currently under the fiscal sponsorship and support of Nonviolence International (NVI).

Nonviolent Resistance to the Occupation and Annexation of Western Sahara by Morocco

For those new to this topic, please scroll down to learn from the many resources below.

NVI supports Just Visit Western Sahara, a project of the Western Sahara Solidarity Committee. Our mission is to support the human rights and self-determination of the Sahrawi people and to encourage international tourists to visit the region. NVI has long supported Sahrawis who continue to resist the occupation and annexation of Western Sahara by Morocco. Invaded by Morocco in 1975 (with strong support from the United States), Sahrawi resistance has included both armed struggle and nonviolent action. NVI specifically supports nonviolent resistance and calls for an end to the Moroccan occupation. Western Sahara is recognized by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory. In 1991, the UN promised to hold a referendum on self-determination for the people of Western Sahara. To this day, that referendum has not taken place.

In recent years, nonviolent resistance has been led substantially by Sahrawi women including the Khaya Sisters. In 2022, NVI in conjunction with other groups, intervened in the siege of the Khaya Sisters.  At the invitation of the Khaya family in Boujdour, Western Sahara, US-based volunteers arrived at their home to protect them from human rights abuses and break the almost 500-day siege of the house imposed by Moroccan occupation forces. Sultana Khaya was escorted to Spain by our team on Jun 3rd, 2022 to obtain medical care.

In June of 2023, Wynd Kaufmyn and Adrienne Kinne who were participants in the intervention to visist the Khaya family, spoke powerfully of their experiences of the Saharawi people and Moroccan illegal occupation at the UN Special Committee on Decolonization. Please these 4 minutes videos and read more below the Saharawi people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsUYr25VRxw&ab_channel=KaramaSahara

Here is Wynd Kaufmyn's testimony!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFmpw8zsRn4&ab_channel=KaramaSahara

Here is Adrienne Kinne's testimony

September 2023 Waari Khaya and Sahrawi Women Protest During UN Visit. 

"Sahawaris peacefully demonstrated in the capital city of El-Aaiún in response to the arrival of the United Nations Special Envoy to Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura."

Nonviolent resistance to occupation and annexation continues. The media release is here and the results of her beating by Moroccan authorities are shown below.

Sultana Khaya is touring the world speaking out against Moroccan occupation and abuses. 

On February 7th, 2023, Sultana Khaya spoke to the European Parliament about her experience in the aftermath of a scandal in which massive Moroccan corruption of the European Parliament led to failure to win the Sakharov Prize.

In December, the Vice President of Parliament, Eva Kaili as well as other key figures were arrested in conjunction with allegations that they recieved money in exchange for favorable actions for Qatar and Morocco.  " The Italian newspaper "Il fatto quotidiano", quoting investigators from the federal prosecutor's office in Brussels, indicated that the interference of the Moroccan regime would not have been limited to influencing the decisions of the European Parliament concerning Morocco, but would also have been focused on the "appointment of members of Eurochamber committees that dealt with sensitive issues for the Maghreb country", including that of 'candidates for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought'.  See here for the full article. https://www.spsrasd.info/news/en/articles/2022/12/24/43391.html For more information on the scandal, watch the Democracy Now Interview. 

The Siege of the Khaya Sisters in 2021 and 2022.

A report with photos can be found here.

US-Based Volunteer Adrienne Kinne interrupting the siege with Sultana Khaya and friends. 

Supported by the Human Rights Action Center (HRAC), NVI and a network of other human rights groups, the international unarmed civilian protection (UCP) volunteers, Ruth McDonough, Adrienne Kinne, Merwyn De Mello and Tim Pluth visited the Sultana family.

Since November 2020, the Khaya Sisters had been forcibly confined to their home and the family has faced many forms of abuse, including home invasions, sexual violence and injections of unknown substances. The Khaya sisters have been raped by Moroccan security forces in front of their 84-year-old mother. Furthermore, their water has been poisoned, furniture and property destroyed, and electricity cut-off.

Referring to her experience, Sultana Khaya shared, “I am not the first Saharawi woman to be raped by the occupiers. I am simply the first woman to speak publicly about it. I have to expose the reality of the occupation. And I need to pave the way for the next generation of Saharawi women.” 

Sultana Khaya is a Saharawi human rights defender whose work focuses on promoting the right of self-determination for the Saharawi people and ending violence against Saharawi women, through active participation in nonviolent efforts and demonstrations. She serves as the president of the Saharawi League for the Defense of Human Rights and the Protection of Western Sahara’s Natural Resources, and is a member of the Saharawi Commission against the Moroccan occupation (ISACOM). She is a nominee for the Sakharov Prize and winner of the Esther Garcia Award. As an outspoken activist, she has been targeted by the occupying Moroccan forces while engaged in peaceful protests, enduring abductions, beatings, and having one eye gouged out.

The US-based visitors called for an end to the rapes, freedom of movement for the Khaya family and all visitors, and an independent international investigation of these human rights abuses.

Grounded in international law, Unarmed Civilian Protection is a nonpartisan strategy that revolves around the use of nonviolent methods by civilians to protect other civilians under threat. Such protection is provided on invitation from local actors and supports local agency and infrastructures for peace.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and other highly respected investigative groups have documented widespread detentions, the torture of dissidents, and violent suppression of peaceful protests by Moroccan forces in Western Sahara. 

On 1 July 2021, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, condemned the reprisals against Sultana Khaya and expressed “particular concern about the apparent use of violence and the threat of violence to prevent and obstruct women human rights defenders in their peaceful human rights activities.” 

Nonviolence International's History of Nonviolent Action in Western Sahara

NVI has been worked to support nonviolent resistance to Moroccan occupation since 1991.

September 2022, NVI launches an online pledge calling on everyone to support nonviolent resistance to all occupations and forcible annexations, whether they be in Western Sahara, Golan Heights, Greater Jerusalem, or Ukraine.

June 2022, Sultana Khaya is escorted to Spain for medical care.

May 2022, A 2nd delegation of US based visitors to the Khaya family were kidnapped by unknown Moroccans and deported from Western Sahara.

May 2022. Moroccan authorities repeatedly smash the Khaya residence with a massive truck to kill all of its residents and US guests.

April 2022: In Nonviolent Strategies and Stories in Israel-Palestine and Western Sahara, Michael Beer and Osama Elewat speak with the Metta Center for Nonviolence on the power of nonviolence.

March 2022: NVI in conjunction with other NGOs, organized a team of US based activists to visit the Khaya Sisters and break the almost 500 day siege.

January 2022: Stephen Zunes writes in Foreign Policy in Focus that President Biden's refusal to reverse President Trump's policy on Western Sahara has dangerous global implications. 

Zunes piece in The Progressive warned that the threat of further Russian aggression against Ukraine was real and noted that the Biden administration is in a weak position to lead an international response.

December 2021: Khaya Family Update

March 2021: Nonviolence International is proud to make connections across boundaries that for far too long we have allowed to divide us. This NVI webinar connects those resisting occupation from Palestine to Western Sahara. We believe in the power of active nonviolence and offer this conversation as a way to celebrate brave nonviolent leaders and our shared use of creative Nonviolent Tactics and Training to make us even more impactful. 

(Video above shows Sultana Khaya - while under heavy surveillance - joining our webinar through Salka Barca. Note the 22-minute mark, at which Sultana Khaya dramatically confronts those who besiege her house.)

CNN featured Sultana Khaya’s powerful op-ed on a difficult topic that rarely gets the attention it deserves (Morocco: Western Sahara Activist Raped)

November 2020: NVI's Director, Michael Beer co-wrote this piece calling for an End to the Conflict in Western Sahara) and encouraging the US Government to change it policies towards Western Sahara. 

Nonviolence International supports international law and opposes the unlawful and violent occupations of its neighbors by Israel, Morocco and Russia.

July 2020:  Nonviolence International's statement on annexation. 

(Mubarak Awad & Jonathan Kuttab in Western Sahara in 2015)

2015, NVI's co-founders Mubarak Awad and Jonathan Kuttab are some of the few Palestinians and Americans who have gone and done solidarity work with them in the occupied territory.

2014, Jonathan Kuttab visits Western Sahara to speak about nonviolent resistance to occupation, human rights, and international law.

2005, NVI invites a Sahrawi representative to speak in Bethlehem at the World Conference on Nonviolent Resistance.

1991-2013, NVI is one of the only organizations to lead protests in Washington DC against Moroccan occupation and abuse in Western Sahara.

Resources on Western Sahara

A BATTLEFIELD TRANSFORMED: FROM GUERILLA RESISTANCE TO MASS NONVIOLENT STRUGGLE IN THE WESTERN SAHARA
Dr. Maria J. Stephan and Jacob Mundy. 

War Resisters International’s January 2021

Statement in the Face of War and Western Sahara Country Profile

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy's nine minute video on Western Sahara

Democracy Now's hour long documentary: Four Days in Occupied Western Sahara: Africa's Last Colony. 

An 2022 update on the Geo-politics of Western Sahara, by Jacob Mundy.

https://theconversation.com/unpacking-the-power-plays-over-western-sahara-186675  

Donate to support NVI's ongoing efforts to promote nonviolence in Western Sahara here.

As the Brazilian government prepares to host COP30 in the city of Belém do Pará, during November 10-21, a massive, highly militarized and violent police operation is happening in Rio de Janeiro. On October 28, over 2,500 officers and soldiers launched a raid in the favela complexes of Complexo do Alemão and Complexo da Penha, targeting the criminal network Comando Vermelho. The attack resulted in at least 128 deaths, including 4 police officers.

This operation is not only the most lethal in the city’s modern history, but also illustrates a troubling contradiction: while Brazil seeks to position itself as a global environmental leader, it simultaneously continues to invest vast resources in militarized security interventions. These operations reflect a broader logic of militarization in Brazil’s security policy: deploying large-scale armed interventions into low-income communities that treat the citizens living in these areas as enemies of the state. Guided by a “counter-insurgency” approach, these interventions treat urban communities as battlefields, rather than prioritizing public safety or adopting prevention-oriented strategies. 

Fernando Frasão/Agência Brasil

Residents reported indiscriminate gunfire, bodies left in the streets, and civilians trapped in the crossfire. Historically, these operations provide no real increase in public safety and fail to effectively dismantle criminal networks, as the true leaders of these organizations do not operate from the favelas. The governor of Rio framed the operation as a success after saying he was “at war” with criminal groups, while human rights organizations denounced the raid as a “state-sponsored massacre” under the narrative of the “war on drugs” in Latin America. 

There is also an important connection to be made here: Brazil’s military and specialized police units have received training from Israeli instructors and acquired Israeli-made weapons, drones, and armored vehicles. These interventions are also supported by surveillance technologies exported from Israel, with systems that have been labeled “battle-tested” through their deployment on Palestinians. The transfer of these tools and tactics underscores a troubling link between the methods used to control and repress Palestinian populations and the strategies applied in Brazilian favelas.

While this incident grabbed global headlines, we should be questioning, once again, the scale of investment behind such operations, and how might those funds serve alternative aims? What could be achieved if even a fraction of these funds were redirected toward climate resilience, affordable housing, education, and public health?

The COP30, to be held in Belém, represents a moment of global significance: a time when governments, businesses, and civil society will exchange commitments around climate change, adaptation, and financing. Brazil, as host, will be under the spotlight — not just for its Amazon policy, but for how it addresses domestic inequality, human rights, and environmental justice.  Some key points to think about are:

• Demilitarization of security: shift away from war-zone policing in communities towards community-led prevention, mediation, social services, and restorative justice.
  
• Reallocation of budgets: redirect funds from security deployments into climate adaptation (particularly in vulnerable urban and rural communities), affordable housing and basic services, and education programmes that empower marginalized youth.
  
• Linking environment and social justice: recognize that climate vulnerability and social exclusion are deeply intertwined. Favelas, Indigenous territories, coastal zones — they suffer multiple layers of crisis. Investing in their resilience demands more than policing.
  
• Accountability: international forums should push Brazil not only on emissions and deforestation, but also on human security, police accountability, and social equity.

As Brazil hosts COP30, it stands at a crossroads: will it invest in control and repression, or will it channel its resources toward care, prevention, equity, and climate resilience? For the international community, the lesson is clear: true climate leadership must include demilitarization and a reallocation of public resources toward human and planetary well-being. This means adopting the principles of human security, ensuring that every person’s basic needs, rights, and safety are protected, and common security, which recognises that security for one group cannot come at the expense of another. 

True and sustainable security requires investing in nonviolent strategies, the rule of law, economic and environmental protections, fair and transparent elections, and robust regional and global governance. Without addressing these structural conditions, the militarized approach merely reproduces inequality and violence, leaving communities exposed rather than protected.

Rooted in Sumud: Palestinian Nonviolence Resistance 

Watch the video here for the Online Film Salon, that NVI co-sponsored with Voices From the Holy Land, on Palestinian Nonviolent Resistance. Sami Awad, NVI-Co-Director, together with other panelists, such as Bill "Damani" Keene (civil rights activist, author and college administrator (ret.), Fadi Abushammala (Outreach Associate for Gaza at Just Vision), and moderator Jen Marlowe (author, filmaker, founder of Donkeysaddle Projects and Consulting Producer at Just Vision).

Jonathan Kuttab's "The Righteous Jews"

Jonathan Kuttab’s piece, The Righteous Jews, honors those who act on conscience, not in spite of their identity, but because of it. Read this moving tribute to those standing up against genocide and for justice in Palestine here 

To learn more about the great work that NVI's Jewish Partners are doing, check out Center for Jewish Nonviolence and Villages Group. 

You can also follow CJNV on Instagram @cjnvgram 

"The Future of Nonviolence in Palestine/Israel" with Sami Awad

On Friday, Nonviolence International hosted an insightful and powerful talk titled The Future of Nonviolence in Palestine/Israel at St John’s Episcopal Church. This event featured Sami Awad, a prominent advocate for peace and nonviolence, as he shared an in-depth update on the worsening violence and shifting dynamics in the West Bank.

He highlighted the escalating tensions and violence in the region, offering a vision for a peaceful resolution that involves a surge of international tourism and unarmed civilian protection teams. Awad argued that these collective efforts could help alleviate the suffering in Palestine while fostering a sense of solidarity. In the case of Gaza, Awad called for international monitoring to help sustain ceasefires and ensure lasting peace.

The event sparked a vital conversation about the role of global communities in supporting nonviolent initiatives and contributing to long-term peacebuilding efforts in the region. It was an inspiring call to action for all those who believe in a future of peace, justice, and nonviolent solutions.

Click below to view a recording of the event! 

The Future of Nonviolence in Palestine/Israel

Apartheid in Palestine and Israel is intensifying. Nonviolent mobilization is needed now more than ever.

An update on the Arrest Warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu 

The ongoing war on Gaza has seen unprecedented levels of destruction and human suffering, drawing global condemnation and calls for accountability. In a major development, an international arrest warrant has been issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing alleged war crimes and violations of international law. This pivotal moment could mark a turning point in the struggle for justice and peace in Palestine.

The Arrest Warrant: A Step Toward Accountability

The arrest warrant signals a significant step by the international community toward holding leaders accountable for actions that may constitute war crimes. Netanyahu’s leadership has been marked by policies and military actions in Gaza that many human rights organizations have decried as disproportionate and in violation of international law. This warrant is a testament to the growing demand for justice for the Palestinian people, particularly in light of the devastating consequences of the recent escalation.

This is a defining moment for the global movement for Palestinian rights. We urge supporters of justice and peace to:

• Contact Your Representatives: Demand that your government supports international accountability mechanisms and presses for an end to the war in Gaza.

• Raise Awareness: Share information about the arrest warrant and its implications on social media, and encourage others to take a stand.

• Support Humanitarian Efforts: Donate to organizations providing critical aid to the people of Gaza.
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Nonviolence International stands in solidarity with the people of Gaza and calls for immediate international action to end the violence and ensure accountability. Together, we can work toward a future where justice and peace prevail.

The apartheid system in Palestine and Israel has reached new levels of repression. Palestinian communities are facing severe and unrelenting challenges—from the ongoing expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank, which force families from their homes and strip them of their land, to the genocidal attacks in Gaza, where civilians suffer devastating loss and relentless violence. These escalating atrocities make it clear that the time to act is now.

In the face of these threats, our Palestinian partners and allies are undeterred. They continue to resist through bold, creative, and steadfast nonviolent action, holding onto hope for justice despite immense obstacles. Join them—and us—in resisting occupation and apartheid. Here’s how you can make a difference:

Action Items

1. Demand accountability and action for Palestine in the US:
   • Reach congress and other public figures with USCPR Action Alerts.
   • Reject AIPAC! Sign on to show our political leaders, community leaders, and the public that American Jews and allies believe AIPAC has no place in our communities or in our politics. You do not have to identify as Jewish to sign.
2. Support NVI’s fiscally sponsored partners 
   • The US Advisory Committee for the Hebron International Resource Network rebuilds wells, playgrounds, schools, homes in areas threatened by land confiscation.
   • Holy Land Trust mobilizes Palestinians, Israelis and foreigners to work together for a future based on equality. They re-build homes, engage in dialogue, and challenge the fear of the other.  
   • The US Boat To Gaza supports the global flotilla to challenge the blockade of Gaza this summer. . 
   • We Are Not Numbers continues to humanize Gazan Palestinians with its youth-led media training program.  
   • The Center for Jewish Nonviolence engages in direct action and co-resistance in support of Palestinians struggling for dignity and equal rights.
3. Engage with Palestinian leaders of NVI  
   • Read and share Jonathan Kuttab’s inspiring free book Beyond the Two-State Solution.
   • Invite Palestinians to speak to your congregation or group. See our Speaker's Bureau. 
   • join our campaign Every Life A Universe
4. Get involved in a movement or organization working for justice in Palestine–please reach out if we can help guide or connect you. Here are some of the many movements and organizations we admire:
   • Palestine Action (UK)
   • Na'amod (UK)
   • Sabeel (Palestine and global affiliates)
   • Just Peace Advocates (CA)
   • Independent Jewish Voice (CA)
   • American Muslims for Palestine (USA)
   • Palestinian Youth Movement (USA)
   • US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USA)
   • Rebuilding Alliance (USA)
   • Adalah Justice Project (USA)
   • Within Our Lifetime (USA)
   • IfNotNow Movement (USA)
   • Jewish Voice for Peace (USA)
   • Community Peacemaker Teams (USA)
   • Eyewitness Palestine (USA)
5. Commit to changing the conversation towards a realistic solution. Israel’s new extreme government puts to rest any lingering debate about the viability of the Two-State Solution.
   • Sign this statement.

Follow these social media accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/youthofsumud/

https://www.instagram.com/ali_awad98/

https://www.instagram.com/basilaladraa/

https://www.instagram.com/samihuraini/

https://twitter.com/YouthOfSumud

https://twitter.com/SoHebronWatch

https://twitter.com/masaferyatta

https://twitter.com/Cjnvtweets

https://twitter.com/holylandtrust

#SaveMasaferYatta 

#DefendMasaferYatta

Background Information

For those wanting to learn more about the Palestinian struggle for freedom, please see these NVI resources below. Below the NVI resources are primers welcoming people who are not yet immersed in the conversation. 

Jonathan Kuttab's Book - Beyond the Two-State Solution

David Hart's invitation to Jewish Americans

Normalization and Co-Resistance, Jonathan Kuttab

Safety Isn’t Demolishing a School, Tess Greenwood

The Many Faces of Nonviolence - A Taste of Palestine

Gaza: Cruelty Without Consequences

Important Update: Nonviolence International Stands in Solidarity with Al-Haq

Raising Up Impressive Group Challenging GBV in Palestine

Music is the Healing Force of the Universe!

Our Partner's Powerful Piece in the Forward.

The Many Faces of Nonviolence - Rachel Corrie

Expand our Compassion to Include Palestinians

The Many Faces of Nonviolence - Ann Wright

NVI Videos

The Future of Nonviolence in Palestine/Israel

Beyond The Two-State Solution, by Jonathan Kuttab. Interactive webinar.

Co-Resistance and Solidarity with Palestine - Webinar

Writer from Gaza Reflects on the Two State Solution

Spotlight on Nonviolence - Huwaida Arraf

A Video Featuring Ahmed Alnaouq, founder of WANN

A Jew Asks Questions of Two Palestinians in a Time of War

Holy Land Trust's Founder Sami Awad's Wonderful Take on Active Nonviolence - Webinar

Courage Along The Divide - Produced and Directed by Victor Schonfeld 1986

Resources from Other Groups

The Popular University of the Palestinian Youth Movement Presents - OUR HISTORY OF POPULAR RESISTANCE: PALESTINE READING LIST

Palestine 101

Palestine-Israel Primer - MERIP

Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU)

Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories

A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution | HRW

Not a "vibrant democracy". This is apartheid. | B'Tselem

Visualizing Apartheid through interactive maps | B'Tselem

For those interested in learning more about state by state US legislation, please see this impressive map from Palestine Legal. They tell us, "The right to stand for justice is under attack. Politicians are pushing unconstitutional laws to stop the movement for Palestinian freedom and shield Israel from criticism."

Your Guide to Difficult Conversations About Israel/Palestine

Israel-Palestine animated introduction

Primer on the Arab-Israeli Conflict - TeachMideast

The Israel Apartheid Report Database 

Do you have suggestions for other high quality introductory material we should consider including?

If so, please contact us. 

And, of course, please help spread the word. Ask people to visit this page, learn, and take action. 

(Art Credit - Kayla Ginsburg - from CJNV)

The brutal occupation of Palestine is likely to get even more repressive. The coalition government in Israel includes unrepentant haters and racists. They have wasted no time showing their true colors. The impacts will be immediate, widespread, and as usual those harmed the most will be Palestinians. 

People who have been paying attention know that the occupation has been supported by successive governments of all parties. And still we recognize we are entering a new and dangerous moment. We will work to make sure that this is also a time with the potential for real and lasting positive change. 

During this time, we will see suffering increase and we must urge people to open their eyes to the reality of the situation. We must find ways to make the power of active nonviolence relevant to this struggle. NVI co-founder Jonathan Kuttab wrote, 

"Successive Israeli governments have pursued these goals steadfastly, while pretending that their aim was security and that their aspirations were for peace with Palestinians, not domination over them. The new Israeli government abandons all such pretense, rips off the mask, and dares the world to do something about it.

Acknowledging that reality is the first necessary step towards addressing it. When Israel determined it wanted to be a Jewish state, and further that it wanted to keep all the land of historic Palestine, the results were inevitable. The only two options Israel allows for are ethnic cleansing or apartheid. Calls for democracy and equality (where democracy includes giving Palestinians [50% of the population] the vote and a stake in running the country) are totally rejected.

The good news is that with this new government, the mask is off, and many people can see the reality. This includes a majority of the Jewish people in the United states and their supporters, who have always been liberal, democratic, and in favor of progressive values. Facing the reality of Israel may be painful for many of them, but it is an important first step towards seeking a new solution based on equality and human dignity, and which would also bring healing and peace."

Tallie Ben-Daniel, the managing director of Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP), said the new Israeli government has openly embraced apartheid.

“The horrifying actions of this new government, only five days in, prove exactly what Palestinians have been saying all along: Israel is an apartheid state, where Palestinians are treated as inferior. The dangerous escalations by the new Israeli government make clear that now is the time for action.”

US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib wrote, 

“Not even one week into 2023, the new far-right apartheid government is moving to ethnically cleanse entire communities—which would displace more than 1,000 Palestinian residents, including 500 children. All with American backing, bulldozers, and bullets. #SaveMasaferYatta”

Join us on October 8, at 10 AM Eastern time / 5 PM Jerusalem time for a vital online conversation with activists Huwaida Arraf, Haneen Sabbah, Sahar Vardi, and Amira Musallam, Ariel Gold, as we enter the third year of resistance to genocide against Palestinians. This webinar will explore how Palestinians and their allies persist in resisting with courage, resilience, and creativity.

Hear directly from these activists, and nonviolence practitioners, about the strategies and stories that sustain hope and resistance. We’ll examine the continuity of nonviolent action and discuss lessons from both local and global movements for justice.

                                                                                                   

Haneen Sabbah: Palestinian Falahi woman and mother, now based in southern Portugal, is a writer at We Are Not Numbers and contributed two writings to Global Voices. She is also an organizer, singer and storyteller at heart, and teaches Arabic online. Besides all that, she is a culture worker, shining a light on Palestinian culture with songs, food and stories.

Amira Musallam: Palestinian Christian peace activist and the Head of Mission for Unarmed Civilian Protection in Palestine (UCPiP), a pilot initiative she co-founded to deploy and coordinate protective presence teams in high-risk Palestinian communities. With over nine years of experience in project management and fundraising, Amira has worked with B’Tselem, Holy Land Trust, and international networks advocating for civilian protection and accountability. Her lifelong commitment to nonviolence began in her youth after experiencing violence first-hand. She has since dedicated herself to resisting land seizures, supporting threatened communities, and building global solidarity circles to challenge impunity. Amira has spoken at the United Nations, engaged policymakers worldwide, and continues to center the voices of Palestinian women and families facing dispossession and war.

Sahar Vardi: Anti-militarist and anti-occupation activist from Jerusalem. Sahar was a conscientious objector, and has been involved in protective presence and solidarity work with Palestinian throughout the West Bank and East Jerusalem for over twenty years. Previously she led the Israel program of the American Friends Service Committee, doing extensive research on Israel’s military export and human rights violations associated with it. More recently, Sahar graduated from the Rotary Peace Fellowship where she researched the environmental impacts of militaries and their action, and continues to research the intersection of environmental and military harm, both in the context of Palestine-Israel, as well as globally. She is currently involved in different grassroots anti-occupation groups, including Free Jerusalem, Boycott from Within, and protective presence projects in the South Hebron Hills. 

Ariel Gold: Executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. She was the national co-director of the antiwar group CODEPINK, where she specialized in campaigns for Palestinian rights. She is a member of Congregation Tikkun v’Or in Ithaca, New York where she resides and has been a longtime active member of Jewish Voice for Peace.

Huwaida Arraf: A Palestinian social justice activist and a civil right attorney, who is the cofounder of the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated International Solidarity Movement (ISM), and leading the Free Gaza Movement, organized 5 sea voyages to Gaza to challenge the Israel's illegal blockade on the Palestinians. Her mission is displaying to the world of what Palestinians are enduring throughout the history and creating a generation of resistance to occupation through nonviolent actions. Huwaida is one of the activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, despite the unlawful interception of the vessel, and enduring the treatment of the Israeli forces, she continues to embody the spirit of steadfast resistance. 

This is a space to learn, connect, and take action. Together, we will explore how international solidarity can support Palestinian communities and amplify their voices, proving that principled resistance can endure even in the most challenging circumstances.

Goals:

• Illuminate the realities of the Palestinian people entering the third year of intensified violence and systemic oppression.

• Highlight the human, social, and political impacts of the ongoing occupation and settler-colonial policies.

• Provide tools for international activists, organizations, and allies to support Palestinian nonviolent resistance effectively.

• Encourage networking, collaboration, and strategic advocacy beyond immediate geographical boundaries.
  
  
• Reinforce nonviolence as a powerful, principled, and effective response to systemic oppression.
  
  

The webinar is a unique opportunity to gain deep insights from sources who have played an important part in the struggle against occupation and who offer valuable knowledge so you, as part of the global family committed to peace and justice, can contribute to the future of the West Bank and Gaza. 

Don’t miss out, register now to be part of this important conversation!

                                                           Photo: Avishay Mohar/Activestills

From spyware and facial recognition to drones and biometric databases, technology has become one of the Israeli occupation's most powerful tools of control. These systems are deployed against Palestinians and marketed globally as “battle-tested,” fueling a growing industry of surveillance and repression.

Join us online for a live round table on Sunday, October 19, 2025, as we explore how Palestine has become a testing ground for these technologies and what their global impact means for human rights.

Event Details

Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025
Time: 3:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM Jerusalem
Register: Free to join, RSVP here and receive access to the films
Watch the trailer

Panelists

• Helga Tawil-Souri – Palestinian-American scholar and Associate Professor, New York University
  

• Omar Zahzah – Assistant Professor, Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies, San Francisco State University
  

• Mohammad Natsheh – Palestinian human rights activist, South Hebron Hills
  

• Rafif Jouejati – Host; Syrian-American human rights activist, Chair of Nonviolence International’s Board
  

• Bianca Peracchi – Moderator; Brazilian human rights activist, Nonviolence International
  
  

How it Works

• Watch the films for free at your convenience.
  

1. Join the live panel for discussion and Q&A.
   
2. Engage with panelists as we tackle urgent questions:

• How are these tools shaping life under occupation?
• What threats do digital surveillance systems pose to human rights?
• How can people resist the spread of “battle-tested” technologies globally?

This is a unique opportunity to learn how technology of occupation affects civil liberties worldwide and to hear directly from scholars and activists on the frontlines.

Spread the word and RSVP today to be part of the conversation.

Photo by: elPeriodico 

The Global Sumud Flotilla and the Dynamics of Nonviolent Struggle

After Handala, the global solidarity movement is only growing stronger. Fifty-two vessels from over 40 countries formed the Global Sumud Flotilla, setting sail for Gaza with a clear mission: to break the siege and deliver aid to a people pushed to famine by Israel’s blockade and ongoing genocide. 

This flotilla is more than ships on the sea—it is a living symbol of nonviolent resistance. Its very presence exposes the power of collective action, uniting voices across borders against oppression.

As history shows, effective nonviolent action is often met with repression. The Global Sumud Flotilla was no exception. On Sept 24, Israel deployed 10–12 drones against it, striking vessels, dropping unidentified objects, and jamming communications. These were not random attacks. They were calculated attempts to crush morale, disrupt coordination, and strip the flotilla of its symbolic power.

The British-flagged vessel Alma has been relentlessly targeted—first by a drone in Tunisian waters, and now through the jamming of its communications. As the ship is tasked with supporting other vessels, the assault is a clear attempt to cripple its leadership role. Onboard is Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela. Greta Thunbergh, also aboard this vessel, said that despite the drone attacks, the flotilla will continue to deliver aid to Gaza. Nevertheless, these attacks expose both the vulnerability and the strategic importance of leadership vessels in nonviolent struggle.

International Repercussions and Shifts in Power

In the face of these assaults, Spain and Italy announced that they would dispatch naval vessels to protect the flotilla. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, confirmed Spain’s decision to join Italy in this effort. Italy, for its part, condemned the overnight attack and sent a warship toward the flotilla to provide possible assistance.

This development demonstrates how repression can unintentionally generate wider support for a nonviolent campaign. This dynamic is called backfire. By targeting unarmed civilian boats, the attackers created conditions in which governments—normally reluctant to confront such issues—found themselves forced to act. The entry of state actors into the equation, not as opponents but as protectors, marks a shift in the balance of power generated by the flotilla’s persistence.

Repression and Resilience

The Global Sumud Flotilla demonstrates that repression is not the end of a nonviolent struggle  but part of its dynamic. Every drone strike, every act of jamming, every unidentified object dropped is not only an attack—it is an admission that the flotilla is powerful enough to be feared. And every act of solidarity—from governments dispatching ships, to international figures lending their voices, to the UN calling for investigations—represents a widening of the struggle’s base of support.

Nonviolent campaigns succeed not by avoiding repression, but by transforming it into evidence of the opponent’s illegitimacy and by using it to mobilize further resistance. The flotilla has already achieved this transformation: it has revealed the vulnerability of those who rely on violence to maintain control, and it has strengthened the resolve of those who choose nonviolence as their weapon.

Nonviolence International stands firmly with the Global Sumud Flotilla Coalition. If Israel dares to kidnap or deport more than 500 activists from 44 countries, we are committed to sending even more boats. This resolve is not temporary—it is rooted in our core mission: we will not yield to oppression, and we will not give in to evil.

As the fiscal sponsor of US Boats to Gaza, which is part of the global Freedom Flotilla Coalition, we invite you to join this fight. Your support makes it possible to keep the flotilla sailing.

Track the flotilla boats 

Where They Are Now

As starvation in Gaza accelerates, The Handala, a humanitarian vessel of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, is currently navigating the final and most dangerous stretch of its journey toward Gaza. Departing Gallipoli, Italy earlier this month, the ship carries essential humanitarian supplies, showing the unwavering solidarity of people around the world.

As of today, July 26, the Handala is approximately 300 nautical miles from Gaza. Onboard are 21 international activists, sailing peacefully and with courage under the banner of international law and human rights. 

These brave individuals have left behind comfort and safety to stand with Gaza in one of the most direct and nonviolent acts of international solidarity seen in our time.

Threats and Interference

In the last 48 hours, the vessel has faced serious threats:

• Surveillance drones - as many as 16 at once have been circling overhead.
• A 2-hour communications blackout raised fears of interception.
• Prior to departure, crew members discovered a rope deliberately wrapped around the propeller in what appears to be a clear act of sabotage.

Why We Sail

For over 17 years, the people of Gaza have endured a brutal and illegal blockade that has devastated daily life and deprived civilians of basic rights. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition was born out of a commitment to break that silence,  not only by sending supplies, but by exposing the inhumanity of collective punishment.

The message is clear: The blockade is a form of violence. Our resistance is nonviolent. Our goal is justice.

How You Can Help

This mission is reaching its most vulnerable phase and the international community must act:

• Raise your voice: Demand safe passage for the Handala from your elected officials and media outlets.
• Donate: Nonviolence International is proud to be the fiscal sponsor of the U.S. Boats to Gaza, a key part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. You can donate to them here, making the current and future missions possible.
• Stand in solidarity: Share this update and remind the world of this act of nonviolent resistance during a genocide.

Stay Updated

• Follow Nonviolence International and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition on Instagram for live updates.
• Learn more about the Coalition.
• Follow the live tracker on the Handala vessel.

Final Note

This is a nonviolent mission of conscience, fueled by love, not hate, by solidarity, not charity, and by truth, not propaganda. The Handala sails for Gaza. It also sails for all of us who believe another world is not only possible, but necessary.

On September 5–6, I had the privilege of spending two days with the young Palestinian leaders of the Freedom School, a project of Combatants for Peace, leading a training on nonviolent resistance.

Many of these young people come from West Bank communities that have been destroyed by the Israeli army. They carry the weight of loss and displacement, alongside the daily pressure of living under occupation. And all of this is happening while the genocide in Gaza continues to unfold before their eyes, a reality that creates a deep sense of hopelessness and the question: What can we possibly do?

It was within this heavy context that we came together to wrestle with the depth and complexity of nonviolent resistance. We explored how systems of oppression sustain themselves, how power dynamics are manipulated to weaken us, and how, even in the darkest of times, communities can organize and resist without replicating cycles of violence. They were inspired to learn of the deep and long history of nonviolent resistance within the context of our Palestinian history. 

The most powerful moments came from the conversations themselves. The youth spoke openly about fear, anger, and despair. They asked what it really takes to stand nonviolently when everything around them seems to demand retaliation. We reflected on how to transform pain into action, how to hold on to dignity when dignity is being stripped away, and how unity is our greatest weapon against those who want to divide and conquer us.

This training was not only about tactics, it was about reclaiming a way of being. Nonviolence is not weakness, and it is not passive. It is the disciplined choice to act differently, even when violence feels inevitable. It is a power rooted in courage and vision, a power that has carried movements for justice around the world.

One participant captured it in simple words: “Nonviolence is not about giving up, it is about standing up.”

Even as their homes are destroyed and their people are under siege, these youth showed me that the struggle is alive. Their questions, their honesty, and their courage are seeds of a different future, one we desperately need to water and protect.

September 2025

NVI staff and friends continue to vigil twice weekly at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum to end the genocides in Palestine, Sudan and Burma. Currently we focus on Palestine and ask visitor to remember its great purpose: “Never Again for Anyone.”  We remind them that Palestinians are being starved and bombed to death in Gaza by Israel with US weapons and tens of billions of dollars of financial support. We ask them to speak up and not be silent as the world was 85 years ago in Europe when millions of Jews and Roma and others were abused and slaughtered. 

And yes, we use the words holocaust and genocide because of the many parallels to the abuses recorded in the museum. Besides the technical definitions of genocide, there are other similarities that include:

1)Racist language by leaders towards the targeted groups.

2)Forced displacement and starvation of millions of civilians.

3)Concentration camps (there are now 4 in Gaza run by a US non-profit called the GHF).

4)Sadistic security guards (the current camps are run by the Infidel Motorcycle Gang).

5)Systematic destruction of schools, museums, hospitals, agriculture, utilities, homes, mosques and churches.

7)Widespread civilian torture, disappearance, rape, executions, shootings and bombings.

The visitors to the museum are quite diverse: We see every ethnicity, religion, and nationality, Republican and Democrat. Interestingly we see a lot of inter-racial couples and families. We see more sports paraphernalia than religious iconography. We have been generally well received and the museum guards and staff have been supportive and greet us by name.

There are a few Israelis and others who ask: Who is paying you? And why protest here at the museum?

Others skeptics assert: It is not a holocaust or genocide! It is complicated, Hamas is to blame, It’s all a fabrication and lies. You are controlled by satanic forces. There are more Gazans today than before October 7th 2023, We can’t trust that atrocities are happening because no international journalists are in Gaza.

We pass out leaflets that inform visitors that every major human rights group in the world is calling Israel’s atrocities genocide, including the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Physicians for Social Responsibility, B’Tselem, and International Association of Genocide Scholars.

Some people believe the word holocaust only belongs to the Nazi genocide of the Jews implying that Jews are exceptional and that no comparisons can or should be made. However despite the Holocaust Museum’s support for Israel and silence on the horrific treatment of Palestinians, it also appropriately includes the genocide story of the Roma and the disabled in Europe by the Nazis. Given the latest authoritative finding by the UN, it is now “confirming that all states must use all means within their ability to prevent and punish Israel’s crime of genocide.”

To those who say there is no holocaust in Gaza, “we say don’t be a holocaust denier.” Finally, people in Israel and the US have and US have a special responsibility to act now and stop the atrocities. We ask people leaving the museum, "What are we going to tell our grandchildren when they ask us “what we did to stop the holocaust in Gaza?”

 July 2025

NVI Co-Director Michael Beer at yet another vigil at the Holocaust Museum to raise the question: 

“What did Americans know? What more could have been done?”
Gaza is being starved, bombed, and erased.

See the Instagram video of July 2025 here. 

April 2025

NVI Co-Director Michael Beer, vigiling to remind Holocaust Museum visitors to learn the Museum's lesson: Never Again for Anyone and therefore to stop US support for the genocide in Gaza.

See our Youtube video of April 2025 vigil here.

https://youtube.com/shorts/cyXPR7qXDP8?si=Bq_V_qcYRwkpxzVG

January 2024 US Holocaust Memorial Museum Supporters Project “Stop the Genocide In Gaza” on Exterior

Check out this two minute video!

(Jonathan Kuttab in front of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum) 

(Michael Beer calling for a ceasefire now)

(Marianne Ehrlich Ross, Holocaust survivor and Museum Supporter)

Michael Beer talked about this event on this podcast. 

Timestamp 13:10

Nonviolence International Media Release

Date: January 4, 2024
Spokesperson: Michael Beer, 202 244 0951, [email protected]

US Holocaust Museum Supporters Show “Stop the Genocide In Gaza” on Exterior

Washington DC: Wednesday evening, supporters of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum projected photographs and slides on the exterior walls calling on the world to “Never Again” tolerate genocide for anyone. The photographs showed scenes of atrocities in Gaza with words saying “Stop the Genocide in Gaza” “Ceasefire Now” and “Silence=Death.”

“We are here to help fulfill the mission of the Holocaust Museum which is to ensure that ethnic cleansing and genocide never happens again for all people not just Jews” said organizer, Michael Beer, Director of Nonviolence International, himself a descendent of Holocaust victims. “As a an institution created by Congress”, he said, “the Museum has a special responsibility to speak up against genocide in Gaza, in part, because US weapons and support are involved.”

The projection on two western walls of the Museum follows a tradition of anti-genocide images on the Museum with regards to Darfur and internal exhibits regarding the Rohingya.

Helping with the projection was Marianne Ehrlich Ross, a Holocaust survivor, and long time supporter of the Museum, who spoke about her experience being expelled from Vienna, then Prague, and then being stranded in England during the war. She is shocked that Israel, with US support, is engaging in ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, and asked the Museum to not be silent on the present war on the Palestinian people - or anyone else.

Explaining the pictures of destruction and suffering in Gaza, Jonathan Kuttab, Director of Friends of Sabeel North America, spoke about his experience of Palestinians suffering from expulsion, occupation and murder on a vast scale. He spoke to the horrors of the Holocaust in Europe and said that “it is tragic that the Jewish state is perpetrating ethnic cleansing, war crimes and genocide.” Kuttab, a renowned International human rights lawyer, said “the Genocide Convention is clearly being openly violated by Israel and the US. I call on the Museum to live up to its stated mission which is to prevent and oppose genocide across the whole world.”

Scott Weinstein, a health care provider, spoke in French and English as a Canadian Jew, saying that the Israeli government’s genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians is causing more anti-Semitism. “The October 7th attacks against Israel came about partially as a response to generations of Israeli abuse and that this should be a wake up call for the need for justice for Palestinians, not revenge.”

In 1993, Beer and Starhawk organized a large alternative opening ceremony for the Museum urging the inclusion of the persecution and extermination of homosexual and bisexual men which the Museum promptly did. Beer and Starhawk sent an open letter in November, 2023 calling on the Museum replicate its 1993 inclusive response and to again fulfill its mission to end genocide against all people. Beer said “we stated on this Museum plaza then and today, “Silence=Death”.

This action was endorsed by Nonviolence International, Jewish Voice for Peace-DC Metro, and Friends of Sabeel North America. A video of the event can be found here.

###

November 10, 2023

Letter to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum: Silence = Death

Dear US Holocaust Memorial Council Chair, Stuart E. Eizenstat,

The huge pogrom attack on Jewish communities near Gaza, and revenge attack on 2.2 million Palestinian Gazan residents raises the painful question – What can and should the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) do now? The Holocaust Museum has shown years of leadership as it seeks to inspire “citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity.”  The Museum also memorializes the experience of Jews and the cancer of anti-Semitism and humanizes other victim communities of the Holocaust. 

The Museum has come a long way.  We organized an alternative opening ceremony of the Holocaust Museum in 1993 because the official ceremony explicitly excluded Gay/Bi/Lesbian people (homosexuals). Within the year, the Museum embraced the pink triangle Holocaust story and doubled down on its inclusion of other victim groups such as the Roma, people with disabilities, Slavs and others. To ensure that the Museum maintains its contemporary relevance, it created the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide whose purpose is genocide prevention, crisis response, justice and accountability. Recently, the Museum’s exhibition on the genocide of the Rohingya was a strong political statement and superbly presented. 

Last month, the museum (on the Press Room webpage) condemned the horrific attacks on Israel and Jews by Hamas on October 7th and then released a statement in defense of the State of Israel. Yet, when it comes to genocidal threats and the attack on 2.2 million Palestinian people, (not to mention scores of Jewish pogroms on many communities in the West Bank), the Holocaust Museum website appears to be silent. Setting the bombing (and 10,000 deaths) aside, halting water, food, medicine and fuel to an entire population is barbaric and genocidal. The fact that this is being done by a Jewish state is doubly tragic and ironic.

Attacks on Palestinian civilians and the death of thousands of children will not make Israel safe; it will only foster more anger and resentment.  Only a just resolution of the conflict can assure true peace for Israel and Palestine alike. 

At the alternative opening ceremony in 1993, we laid a pink triangle flower arrangement on the Museum Plaza with a black and white sign that read “Silence = Death.” This referenced the silence of the Museum toward Gay & Bisexual men as well as the silence of policy makers and society towards a generation of Gay & Bisexual men who died unnecessarily from AIDS. 

Will the Museum speak up for a Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire and humanitarian assistance for all? Will it help decision-makers, the military, and the public work to prevent genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians now and in the longer term? 

The mission of the Holocaust Museum should be universal, not one primarily based in the exceptionalism of Jews.  There is an urgent and dramatic opportunity for the Holocaust Museum to elevate its mission of Never Again. Silence in this case means death for countless Palestinian people.Shalom,

Michael Beer & Starhawk

Michael Beer serves as the Director of Nonviolence International and author of Civil Resistance Tactics of the 21st Century.
Starhawk is an author, activist, permaculture designer and teacher, and a prominent voice in modern earth-based spirituality and ecofeminism. 

The letter contents are the personal views of the Director of NVI and co-author Starhawk, and not necessarily the views of the Organization.
Downloadable PDF Version

Philipos Melaku-Bello and Michael Beer with Egyptian tourists at the Prop1 Vigil in Washington DC

Trump dismantled shelter at Proposition1 Anti Nuclear Weapons Vigil in front of the White House

On Sunday,  September 7, 2025, in front of the White House, US park police dismantled a shelter of the 44-year vigil for peace, human rights, and anti-nuclear weapons.  For decades NVI has long supported the vigilers who intend to persevere.

Nuclear war is as dangerous and plausible now as it was in 1981 when it was started. Millions of tourists have seen the vigil, which has survived lightning strikes, hurricanes, blizzards, and numerous attacks by opponents.

Philipos Melaku-Bello has led the Proposition 1 vigil for many years. He says, “The shelter is legal and that President Trump violated the law by removing it.” “Trump doesn’t like our demands for nuclear disarmament, human rights, and peace.” 

The White House confirmed the removal, telling AP in a statement that the vigil was a “hazard to those visiting the White House and the surrounding areas.”

NVI Co-Director, Michael Beer, visits the vigil often. “The nonviolent vigil may be unsightly to some, but war and nuclear weapons are an abomination that must be abolished before humanity destroys itself.”

It is believed to be the longest continuous protest in U.S. history. The Proposition 1 vigil will fight this attack in the courts on First Amendment/Article 19 grounds. We must all see this as another sign of the many signs of breaching our most basic right and freedom of speech and expression.

We must not and cannot remain silent.