Cecilia Uddén rapporterar i Godmorgon världen om israeliska freds- och judisk-palestinska enhetsrörelsen Standing Together (Omdim Beyachad/Naqif Ma’an).
“För mer än 20 år sedan fanns en stark fredsrörelse i Israel. Både den stora kända ‘Peace Now’ och även ‘Fyra Mammor’ – en organisation som samlade stora demonstrationer mot Libanonkriget på den tiden.
Idag, efter 7 oktober-massakern, är fredsrörelsen mycket liten. Men den finns. Och det finns mycket aktiva individer som både både försöker förhindra bosättavåld på Västbanken och protestera mot krig och ockupation.
Vår korrespondent Cecilia Uddén har träffat några av dem.”
Så här beskriver den sig på sin nätplats:
“The current socio-political reality in Israel is unbearable. Unending occupation feeds violence, fear, and hatred between Israelis and Palestinians. Economic inequality is widening. Poverty is deepening. Israel’s Palestinian minority faces increasing discrimination. Women, Mizrahim, immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, the elderly, and people with disabilities are marginalized socially, economically, and politically. Working people must labor for longer at stagnating wages while the cost of living continues to soar.
Rather than seriously address these problems, our political leaders use fear and racism to divide us. Instead of providing genuine security solutions, they deliver never-ending wars. Rather than serve the majority, they look out for the rich. Our government is increasingly disconnected and corrupt. Israeli society is in a deep crisis.
Still, we find cause for hope. Most people want to live in a just and equal society. Our country is blossoming with promising initiatives: worker’s unions, anti-occupation campaigns, environmental movements, and so much more.
These struggles inspire hope and help catalyze political change. However, as long as they remain disconnected, their power is limited.
To build peace, equality, and social and climate justice, we need a mass movement. Currently, the Israeli left is dominated by professional NGOs, which despite their important work, can never become a political home for the masses. Meanwhile, Israel’s leftist political parties can no longer mobilize large sectors of the population. Many people want progressive change. They support peace and oppose the occupation; they support equality and oppose racism; they support social justice and oppose rule by wealth. They need a movement to unite them, inspire them to take action, and turn their solidarity into a powerful political force.
Standing Together is this movement. We are building a shared home for all of us. We won’t erase our differences, but rather believe in building a true partnership based on shared interests. This is the meaning of Standing Together.
We envision a society that serves all of us and treats every person with dignity. A society that chooses peace, justice, and independence for Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Arabs. A society in which we all enjoy real security, adequate housing, quality education, good healthcare, a liveable climate, a decent salary, and the ability to age with dignity.
Such a society is possible – we’re already building it.”
Jan Olof Bengtsson 