Avaazers, it's time to celebrate!
A few minutes ago, the UN voted overwhelmingly to recognise Palestine
as the world's 194th state!!! It’s a huge victory for the Palestinian
people, for peace, for our community, and people across the world are joining
with massive crowds in Palestine to celebrate.
The Palestinian people's journey to freedom is far from over. But this is a
powerful step, and our community played a key role in it. Palestine's
Ambassador to Europe said today:
"Avaaz and its members across the world have played a crucial role
in persuading governments to support the Palestinian people's bid for a state
and for freedom and peace. They have stood with us throughout and their
solidarity and support will be remembered and cherished across Palestine." -
Leila Shahid, General Palestinian Delegate to Europe
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Brussels Action: While EU
leaders were met, THIS was happening right outside their windows
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Madrid Action: Avaaz
members want Spain PM Rajoy to say YES!
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The
US and Israeli governments, beholden to extreme lobby groups (yes, sadly even
Obama has given in), threw everything they had at crushing this vote, using
financial threats and even threatening to overthrow the Palestinian President
if he went ahead. Europe was the key swing vote, and under intense US
pressure, leaders were, just two weeks ago, leaning towards not supporting the
Palestinian state. Knowing the stakes, our community responded with the speed
and democratic force that we needed to win:
- Nearly 1.8 million of us signed the petition calling for
statehood.
- Thousands of us donated to fund public opinion polls
across Europe -- showing that a whopping 79% of Europeans
supported a Palestinian state. Our polls were plastered all over
the media, and repeatedly cited in Parliamentary debates in the UK, Spain
and France!
- We sent tens of thousands of emails, Facebook
messages and Tweets to leaders across Europe and made thousands
of calls to foreign ministries and heads of state.
- We unfurled a giant 4-storey banner outside the
EU Commission in Brussels (right) while leaders were meeting inside.
Then, we staged another stunt in Madrid. Previously, we had sailed a
flotilla of ships past the UN calling for a vote. Our actions made headlines
all over Europe.
- Avaaz staff and members met with dozens and dozens of
government ministers,
top advisors, senior journalists, parliamentarians and thought leaders in
each of the key countries, in many cases teaming up to win over leaders
one by one through advocacy, pressure, parliamentary resolutions and
public statements, always drawing on the surge in people power behind this
cause.
- We reached out to key thought leaders like
Stéphane Hessel, a 94-year old survivor of Nazi concentration camps, and
Ron Pundak, an Israeli who played a key role in Oslo peace process, to
speak out in favour of statehood.
One
by one, key European states broke with the US to answer the call of justice and
their peoples. In the final vote tally we got just now, only 9 countries out of
193 have voted against!
France, Spain, Italy, Sweden and most of Europe has
voted for Palestine.
The US and Israel argued first that statehood was dangerous for peace, and
then, when they'd lost, that it didn't matter and the vote was just symbolic.
But if it were just symbolic they wouldn't have done everything to try and stop
it. And after years of bad-faith negotiations and Israeli comfort with the
status quo as they steadily colonize more Palestinian land,
this move shows
the US and Israel that if they do not engage in good faith, the Palestinians
and the world are prepared to move forward without them. It's a more
balanced basis for real peace talks. And that's the best alternative to the
kind of violence we saw Israel's government and Hamas offer in Gaza this month.
For decades the Palestinian people have suffered under a stifling Israeli
military dictatorship, repressive controls on their travel and work, continual
denial of their rights and the constant threat of insecurity and violence. 65
years ago today, the UN recognized the state of Israel, beginning a path to the
establishment of a safe home for the Jewish people.
Today the Palestinians
take a step down the same path, and gain a dignity in the eyes of the
international community that they have been denied for a generation. And from
that dignity, we can build the foundations of peace.
With hope and joy,
Ricken, Alice, Ari, Wissam, Allison, Sam, Julien, Pascal, Wen, Pedro,
Saravanan, Emma, Ben, Dalia, Alexey, Paul, Marie, Aldine, Luca, Jamie, Morgan
and the whole Avaaz team.
PS Here are some sources - The
Associated
Press covers today's victory, the
Guardian
covers our polling two weeks ago, Avaaz's
Daily Briefing
provides a map of the vote result, and
Haaretz
describes Israel's response.
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