In a hurry? Jump below to see the specific Action Plan
In a hurry? Jump below to download our Parties for Peace materials
Need some ideas for an action? Check out our Spring Action Ideas
Why This Action Plan?
With the window closing rapidly on the two-state solution, Gaza reduced to rubble, rockets still flying at southern Israel, Hamas and Fatah at odds, the continued expansion of West Bank settlements and a right-wing/anti-peace Israeli government having been recently elected, prospects for Middle East peace are not looking too good.
Furthermore, throughout this semester we’ve seen a dramatic increase in both the quantity and scope of Middle East conflict-related events on campus. From the response to the Gaza war to the 5th annual Israeli Apartheid Week in early March, students are under increased pressure from both sides to take part in the unproductive and ill advised shouting matches now so common on college campuses.
So why don’t we lose faith?
Because we focus on Washington. For not only did President Obama phone the Egyptian, Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian leaders to discuss the situation in Gaza on his first day in office, he also appointed Senator George Mitchell as our new high-profile Middle East envoy. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently toured the region and announced a $900 million reconstruction program for Gaza, spoke up for the two state solution and spoke out against the demolition of Arab homes in East Jerusalem. Through these efforts we are beginning to restore our credibility in the region as an honest broker, one that will deal with all sides in an even-handed, effective and focused manner. The Obama Administration is clearly, in word and in deed, committed to ending this conflict and bringing true peace and security to both Israelis and Palestinians.
That’s why when tensions rise on campus, when calls for divestment become popular, when all hope seems lost, we do not and we will not despair. Washington is where and how the status quo will be changed and President Obama and this Congress have the power to guide the Middle East in the right direction. Now is the time to speak out against the right-wing voices that have been all too successful in derailing efforts to promote even-handed policy in the Middle East and we must deliver a powerful united front in confronting them. The stakes are too high and the issues are too critical for us to just sit back and allow others to speak for us. That is precisely the reason why, after last semester’s “We Can’t Wait” campaign - where thousands of students called on then President-elect Obama to engage in smart, effective Middle East diplomacy from the start of his administration - we are continuing the campaign by taking our message to Washington - literally.
What Will We Do?
The following recommended actions are part of a much larger long-term strategy that we will continue to refine over the summer, in preparation for UPZ’s “grand re-opening” at the October 2009 inaugural J Street conference in Washington, DC.
Goal 1: Register or pre-register students for the October 2009 inaugural J Street conference
Goal 2: Register students going to Israel this summer, for a half-day trip to the West Bank
Goal 3: Raise money for students to travel to the J Street conference
1. Campus Action - The goal of this action is to raise awareness about ways to change the status quo in Israel and the Middle East. The action should specifically highlight the importance of change in Washington and how we can best promote effective U.S. policy. This is a great venue to reach out to students about the info meeting, educational program, Israel summer fair and party for peace. Check out our Spring 2009 Action Ideas for more information.
Suggested time: Mid March - April 1
2. Educational Program - This program should be educational, but also allow time for action-oriented discussion about how we can make change. This is a great method to utilize for doing outreach for West Bank trips, the J Street conference and a Party for Peace. See the Our Resources section of our website for ideas.
Suggested time: Sometime this spring
3. J Street Conference Info Meeting with Jeremy Ben-Ami - The goal of this meeting is to provide more information about J Street, their strategy in Washington and promote the conference as part of this strategy. We are arranging this info meeting for April 1st at 8 PM EST. We will be working with J Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami to produce a short video just for students, about their role in pushing for a two-state solution to this conflict. It will be a great video to view with interested students prior to the live UPZ National Conference Call Q&A with Mr. Ben-Ami at 8:30PM that night. The video will be available shortly on our website. (If this date does not work for your campus, you can show the video another date and possibly arrange a separate Q&A with Tammy Shapiro).
Use this flier to advertise for the Info Meeting!
Suggested time: April 1st @ 8 PM EST. Q and A with Jeremy Ben-Ami will begin at 8:30 PM EST
4. ”Are You Going To Israel This Summer?” Fair -The goal of this fair is to promote the West Bank trip to those who will already be in Israel this summer. It’s a great way to reach out to other Israel organizations on campus. Use this flier as you table and then send people to our website where they can fill out the UPZ West Bank Tour Registration Form.
Suggested time: Two or three weeks before finals
5. Party for Peace - We know this has been a challenging semester on campus. So, why are we celebrating? Well, J Street has been around for a year and is starting to make real change in Washington. Obama has taken positive steps toward rebuilding the U.S. relationship with the Muslim world and shown signs that he’s serious about working toward a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And, we are excited about our opportunity next fall to take our message to Washington, literally!
We hope you can use this party for peace as a fundraiser for students from your campus to attend the J Street conference next fall. If not, its still a great opportunity to spread the word about J Street, your work on campus and the conference next fall. Finally, by charging $5 at the door you can raise money for interested students from your campus to come to the J Street conference next October.
To download the Party for Peace Materials in One Single PDF, click here.
To download the Party for Peace Materials individually, click below.
- Spare Some Change for Change? (Poster to hang up at the party)
- Party For Peace Drink Menu (Totally awesome drink menu w/ games)
- Why Are We Celebrating? (Fliers to hang up at the party)
- Our 4 Questions For Discussion (Fliers to hang up at the party)
- J Street Conference Pre-Registration Form (Fliers to distribute and sign people up at the party)
Don’t have time to party this semester? Set a date now for a Party for Peace kick-off party next fall. It’s always good to have some dates on the calendar before you leave for summer vacation. Please let us know if you plan to host a party, and if so when. And as always, please be in touch if you have any questions!
Suggested time: Anytime you need an excuse to party! And it doesn’t matter where you are or what you are doing!
How Will UPZ Help?
1. Materials - We’ll provide materials for the action, info meeting, fair, party for peace, conference outreach, and West Bank tour outreach.
2. Program Coordination - We’ll help you set up programs on your campus.
3. Make Connections - We’ll coordinate the info meeting to get you better acquainted with J Street and your role in pushing for aggressive diplomacy in the Middle East.
4. Information - We’ll send out additional information for all of these components as they draw closer as well as keep them all pertinent information on our website.
5. Advertising for West Bank Trips - We’ll set up an “Are You Going To Israel This Summer And Want To Go To The West Bank?” Facebook group to help you connect with local students.
6. Advertising for J Street Conference - We’ll set up an “I Want To Attend The J Street National Conference!” Facebook group to help you connect with local students interested in registering for the student portion of the J Street conference.
