2004: Citizen Negotiations

In 2004, the Citizen Negotiations Platform was launched after extensive research by a panel of Israeli, Palestinian, and international experts who broke the conflict down into its ten most contentious issues. Over 180,000 Israelis and Palestinians have since voted on ten issues at the heart of the conflict, and have provided feedback on how each should be resolved. This process was developed to reveal both consensus and disparity of opinion between people at the grassroots level on different potential resolutions proferred by the accords and negotiations of the time. It has succeeded in educating people on the art of negotiation and served as a gauge for popular opinion on important issues central to the conflict. Voting results have shown a high level of consensus, with 76% of both Israelis and Palestinians affirming a two-state solution.

OneVoice utilizes outreach programs, person-to-person recruitment drives, internet campaigns, and mobile voting kiosks to ensure that Palestinians and Israelis aged 15+ in all communities – including refugee camps and kibbutzim – have the chance to voice their views on conflict resolution.

2005: Building a Grassroots Network

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

Launched in 2005, OneVoice's Youth Leadership Program bestows thousands of young Israelis and Palestinians with leadership and organization skills, empowering them to mobilize their communities and bridge the gaps between the grassroots and their elected representatives. Over 3,000 Israeli and Palestinian youth have been engaged through this program, and over 1,300 have graduated to become highly-trained Youth Leaders.

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

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