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A letter to Arabisto.com readers: Support the OneVoice Movement
By: Nadia Gergis
NEW YORK -- October 2, 2007 (Arabisto.com):
Arabisto.com was founded in September 2006 and since then I have always refrained from asking Arabisto.com readers to support, join or endorse any agencies and their endeavors for peace.
Today I ask, and hope that you can understand why OneVoice has my complete support. I hope that you will also join the OneVoice Movement and sign the OneVoice Mandate.
Last week while on vacation in New York, I had a chance to meet and speak to Daniel Lubetzky --founder of PeaceWorks Holdings LLC, who oversees the The PeaceWorks Foundation and The OneVoice Movement.
Thank you Daniel and Leah from Accidentally Jewish for the kind invitation to ThinkTank and for giving Arabisto.com the opportunity to meet like minded bloggers.
Mr. Lubetzky needs our help to tell the Israeli Knesset and the Palestinian Legislative Council that by this time next year, the two sides must agree to a two-state solution. Lubetzky and the OneVoice Mandate calls on Palestinian President Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Olmert to start immediate, uninterrupted negotiations until a comprehensive two-state solution is reached.
OneVoice aims to get to a million citizen signature to their mandate/petition by the end of 2007.
By signing the “OneVoice Mandate” – which implores elected leaders stop the blood letting and return to negotiations – it shows that the Palestinian and Israeli moderate majority is alive and well. They are taking back the political agenda from the minority of extremists and hardliners.
A well-respected and major supporter from the Arab American community is a man we are all familiar with, founder of the Arab American Institute Dr. James Zogby. HM King Adbullah II ibn al Hussein of Jordan is also a supporter. Many others are as well.
According to the OnceVoice Web site, as of the latest audit on September 17 -- 536,443 Israeli and Palestinian signatories (262,008 Israelis and 274,435 Palestinians) have joined the movement. Having exceeded its goal of recruiting half a million Palestinians and Israelis in roughly equal numbers four months earlier than planned, OneVoice aims to get to One Million citizen signatories by the end of 2007.
The groundswell of Israeli and Palestinian citizens committing themselves to the movement will gather on an unprecedented scale on October 18 when OneVoice will host the One Million Voices to End the Conflict people’s summits. The summits will be held simultaneously in Jericho and Tel Aviv, and linked via satellite to international “echo” events in London, Washington D.C. and Ottawa. Hundreds of thousands are expected to participate, showing their solidarity in support of a two-state solution and demanding accountability to the will of the people.
At the OneVoice Blogger Meet Up last Monday, hosted by Craig Newmark, Craigslist founder and Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post, they spoke of people like you and I -- moderates tired of the bloodshed, political infighting and violence plaguing both the Palestinians and Israeli sides.
So I ask you again -- join me today and sign the OneVoice Mandate. Disregarded the naysayers and pessimists. Our voice matters and maybe this time, they'll hear us.
(Here are some pictures of OneVoice founder Daniel Lubetzky; Craig Newmark, Craigslist founder and Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post.) 
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