On 6 September, the North East branch of the UK Friends of Standing Together held a well-attended meeting at the Newcastle City Library to discuss how we can best support Arab and Jewish people in Israel, who are working together to end the war in Gaza, end the occupation of both Gaza and the West Bank and bring about social justice and equality between the peoples throughout the region.
Standing Together states that: “Peace and independence for Israelis and Palestinians, full equality for everyone in this land, and true social, economic, and environmental justice is possible. To achieve this future, we must stand together.”
Meanwhile, there is a large group of supporters in the UK, aptly named UK Friends of Standing Together, who work to support Standing Together in Israel and to inform people in the UK about the important work that they do.
The event had four main speakers and then a panel discussion. The first two speakers were online from Israel, and there was going to be a further international speaker, a Palestinian, but this couldn’t be facilitated because the electricity was not working in their village.
Almog Levin
The first speaker was Almog Levin from Standing Together in Israel, who spoke about how she came to be involved with Standing Together because she felt lonely holding the views she had within Israel. She explained how she looked at her society and felt powerless, especially given how much power the political right had in the country, and she wanted to get involved in organising for a better Israel.
Almog chose Standing Together because it was something she could easily get involved in, and had gradually found other ways to step up and do more to help Jews and Palestinians stand together.
Almog explained how there are local chapters of Standing Together all over Israel and how the organisation believes in local activism and working with the neighbours to build something better for Jews and Palestinians.
We were reminded that this year is the 10th anniversary of Standing Together being established, a time when the then and current Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, had said: “People ask me if we will always be living on our swords and the answer is yes.” Almog found this disturbing, that it presaged endless violence.
She mentioned how people were frequently attending rallies, and had subsequently decided to keep in touch with each other and build a movement.
Standing Together’s main campaign now is against the war, but Standing Together is also founded on socialist values and has also campaigned against the mass deportation of asylum seekers, for a minimum wage and against discrimination against Palestinians.
Robi Damelin
Robi is a spokesperson and Director of International Relations for The Parents Circle Families Forum, which is a group of bereaved Israelis and Palestinians who have come together to share their grief and heal their wounds as well as those of the society as a whole. Their website comments: “Each member in the forum carries within their hearts and bodies the story of the loss of their loved ones. The personal stories offer us a glimpse into their inner world and an understanding that the pain of bereavement is the same for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Robi thanked the audience for their interest in the issue and encouraged them to look at the exhibition of photographs, which is visible at the city library until 18 September, and have previously been exhibited in America and Germany. She explained that some of the photographs had been taken by people who had never held a camera before.
Robi explained how she had joined the Parents Circle Families Forum after her son David had been killed by Palestinians, and emphasised the importance of listening to others, including people we don’t agree with and the importance of empathy and dialogue.
Ed Whitby
Ed is a prominent trade unionist with Unison in the North East, who has long campaigned on issues of justice and peace. Ed explained the role that trade unionists can play in supporting peace and justice in Israel and Palestine, and how it is important for trade unionists to find out what an organisation like Standing Together really stands for and what they are doing on the ground.
Jane Byrne
Jane is an independent Newcastle City Councillor, representing the Monument Ward in Newcastle City Centre, a well-known defender of human rights and one of the councillors in Newcastle prepared to discuss international human rights and how it relates to the city, whether it be concerned with the treatment of the Uighurs in China or the city’s links with Saudi Arabia.
Jane spoke eloquently about the need for people to come together and how her role as a councillor in Newcastle can facilitate this happening.
Panel discussion
This was followed by a panel discussion which involved the two local speakers as well as Neil Shasousa from NE Standing Together, who fielded a range of questions about how we can support Standing Together in Newcastle and the North East and deal with our own divisions present in our society. The local MP, Chi Onwurah, also provided a parliamentary perspective from the floor.
Comment
The importance of listening to each other and of creating a dialogue was mentioned by the speakers from Israel and it was a useful reminder to all of us that we have a similar need to have a dialogue and to listen within our own communities in the North East.
To return to Israel and Palestine, we have already seen in recent weeks huge demonstrations against the war in Gaza and it is important that those brave, principled people in Israel, who are swimming against the tide and trying to end the bloodshed, are given our support. They are the people who can change Israeli society, to bring about a greater sense of social and racial justice within the country and so end the war in Gaza and the occupation in the Occupied Territories.
When the war is finally over, as with all wars, there will be a huge need for reconciliation. Palestinians and Israelis are going to have to live and work together in a shared society. Standing Together is laying the groundwork for that now.
They need and deserve our support.
The exhibition of photos by the Parents-Families Circle Forum is at Newcastle City Library until 18 September.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
