Avi Meyerstein

"[P]eople would see that Phase II is not in question, and it’s not just words on a page; it will be underway. People would stop asking if the peace plan is alive. They’d be seeing it come to life on the ground, by and for those who need it most."

"Here, peacebuilding offers something rare: it addresses root causes of conflict, and it can begin immediately, deliver early wins, and start reshaping the environment in which challenging political decisions that come next will be made."

"88% want their own country to work with President Trump on the Plan."
❗️Most surprising: they want to go beyond food and rebuilding — "to the root of the conflict. 61% want their governments to help by investing in Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding."

The Blogs: As Trump Meets Bibi, Poll Finds Global Desire to Invest in Peace Plan From the blog of Avi Meyerstein at The Times of Israel

As Trump Meets Bibi, Poll Finds Global Desire to Invest in Peace Plan
While "facts on the ground rightly fuel ongoing skepticism," ALLMEP's recent 64-country poll still finds "int'l will to help Trump & the parties move forward." 🧵

bit.ly/PulseGlobal via
@timesofisrael

"[P]eople would see that Phase II is not in question, and it’s not just words on a page; it will be underway. People would stop asking if the peace plan is alive. They’d be seeing it come to life on the ground, by and for those who need it most."

"Here, peacebuilding offers something rare: it addresses root causes of conflict, and it can begin immediately, deliver early wins, and start reshaping the environment in which challenging political decisions that come next will be made."

"88% want their own country to work with President Trump on the Plan."
❗️Most surprising: they want to go beyond food and rebuilding — "to the root of the conflict. 61% want their governments to help by investing in Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding."

Standing Together | The Jerusalem Youth Chorus x Uniting Voices Chicago 🎤✊🏽 Introducing “Standing Together,” a new global youth anthem. The Jerusalem Youth Chorus and Uniting Voices Chicago teamed up with the grassroots movement Standing Together to share our stories, our visions, and our determination to build a better future - together. 🎤✊🏽 מציגים את "עומדים ביחד" - המנון נוער עולמי חדש. מקהלת הנוער הירושלמית ו-Uniting Voices Chicago התאחדו עם התנועה העממית עומדים ביחד כדי לשתף את הסיפורים שלנו, החזון שלנו, והנחישות שלנו לבנות עתיד טוב יותר - ביחד. 🎤✊🏽 نقدم لكم "نقف معاً" - نشيد شبابي عالمي جديد. جوقة الشبيبة المقدسية و Uniting Voices Chicago اتحدوا مع الحركة الشعبية "نقف معاً" لنشارك قصصنا، رؤيتنا، وإصرارنا على أن نبني مستقبلاً أفضل - معاً. Who are we, and what is the story of this song? The Jerusalem Youth Chorus (JYC) (jerusalemyouthchorus.org) is an Israeli-Palestinian music and dialogue project raising the voices of young leaders from East and West Jerusalem to the global stages of America’s Got Talent, TED, and beyond. Through the co-creation of music and the sharing of stories, JYC empowers young singers from East and West Jerusalem to speak and sing their truths as they become leaders in their communities and inspire singers and listeners around the world to join in building peace, justice, inclusion, and equality. Even in times of war, JYC continues to meet, and its singers’ commitment to each other, and the power of their voices raised in harmony, has only grown. Founded in 1956 and inspired by the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, Uniting Voices Chicago (unitingvoiceschicago.org) (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) is rooted in the belief that music is the most powerful vehicle for fostering mutual understanding and respect between young people of all races, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, gender identities and sexual orientations. Since its founding, Uniting Voices Chicago (UVC) has grown from a single choir into an internationally renowned network of in-school and after-school programs that serve thousands of students across the city of Chicago every year. UVC offers a performance-based learning experience that includes innovative creative partnerships and artistic endeavors—from regular appearances at Lyric Opera and Ravinia Festival to features on high caliber recording projects such as Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book and The Big Day. “Standing Together” came about as JYC and UVC brought their singers together from across the world in a much-anticipated reunion - and this original song was born. Music has been at the core of social movements throughout history - so the choruses reached out to Standing Together (standing-together.org), the largest Jewish-Palestinian grassroots movement in Israel fighting for an end to the Occupation, peace, equality, and social and climate justice, to offer this song as a soundtrack for their work building real power. Join us by sharing this musical call to action - and add your voice to the chorus of people all over the world fighting for freedom, equality, justice, and peace. Credits: Music & Lyrics by W. Mitchell Owens, III, the Jerusalem Youth Chorus, and Uniting Voices Chicago Executive Producers: Josephine Lee and Micah Hendler Cinematography & Video Editing: Chris Markos, with additional footage from We are Kin Media and David King Audio production: W. Mitchell Owens, III, Jeff Breakey, Ed Boyer With gratitude to the One America Movement for supporting the reunion of JYC and UVC in July 2024 as part of the Faith Over Division tour.

Voices you're not hearing. Powerful new single from nextgen leaders at Jerusalem Youth Chorus: "Despite all the violence, we face the horizon.... We are looking to the future, standing as one.... We will build it. Standing together, we'll make this world better."
bit.ly/4rQw6PT

But hopeful moments of ceasefire are ideal times to put more weight behind diplomacy. To launch tracks for comprehensive solutions. To build confidence thru quiet. To help the parties keep promises & build new pathways on top. Forward is really hard, but it's the only way to go.

Sadly, the decks are stacked otherwise. All of these decision-makers have internal structural/political barriers pushing towards extremes + few go viral w/peace & quiet. They will have to rise above S/T politics & bases for L/T payoffs & broader support. Hard to do. Super TBD.

4. Most of all, "peace thru strength" requires an unprecedented pivot for all the leaders in question. From familiar muscular postures & acts to far-less-traveled realms of restraint, compromise, win-win, & trust (+ verify). It takes a different language, orientation, & focus.

3. Surprises are still possible, esp if Iran's regime feels insecure. Bibi and Trump both claimed to have scored big wins thru deceptions. Iran could easily try to do the same. Whether that's now & in the region or globally after we all return to regularly scheduled programming.

2. There's lots still to learn about where Iran's nuke program really was & where it now stands. Many informed voices have yet to weigh in. The PR machines are spinning faster than centrifuges, making it hard to sift well-informed assessments from info wars or wishful thinking.

1. There's lots we still don't know about this chapter, from end to end. It all happened so fast that our human minds & sources are still playing catch up. Info will still be coming in for some time to come.

A #ceasefire b/w #Israel and #Iran is a moment of #hope. Hope of respite for millions of people from living in fear. Respite from planes & missiles filling their skies, disrupting life & sleep, & terrifying kids. But it requires notes of caution, too, and careful steps forward.🧵

Five days from hope to hell - The Jewish Independent

For those who ask how it's going w/peacebuilding, this @ittay78.bsky.social 8 piece captures it. "The energy was electric, but so was the pain." W/families under fire, 100s planned future programs, putting civil society for 1st time "at the heart" of diplomacy.
bit.ly/how-its-going

For too long, a loud + extreme minority dominated the conversation — with disastrous consequences. But at this critical moment, the Israeli majority says it’s ready for regional peace & security. If they step forward & the world walks with them, that future is within reach.

For Israelis: Most Israelis, who prefer regional peace & security, need to know they're not outliers. They may not yet be the loudest, but they are the majority. They have the numbers on their side if only they step out of the shadows to be heard.

For Palestinians: Even in the midst of profound loss and trauma, Palestinians can draw hope from these numbers. There can be a real partner. A strong Israeli majority is open to a deal that would mean dignity, security, and self-determination for all.

For Israel’s friends: #Jewish & #evangelical supporters who care about Israel’s future can now speak with even greater confidence: supporting regional peace & a two-state solution means standing with the Israeli people.

For global leaders: The Israeli public’s readiness should offer extra fuel to all involved — including Trump, Macron, Carney, Starmer, MBS, & others. If they lead towards regional peace, the Israeli public will be with them.

Plus, Israelis aren't buying claims that annexation = security. Most predicted overwhelmingly negative effects: burdening Israel’s military + economy (72%), increasing terrorism (63%), harming peace prospects (61%), & int'l isolation & sanctions” (59%).

In the last couple weeks, we found the exact opposite. 75% of Israelis told us they'd support or accept recognition of a “Palestinian state” as part of regional normalization w/full diplomatic, economic, & security cooperation w/ #SaudiArabia & Arab world.

The Blogs: The Surprising Majority: Most Israelis Are Ready for a Palestinian State From the blog of Avi Meyerstein at The Times of Israel

Surprise! New data from ALLMEP's AI Pulse survey says some of the loudest voices are wrong when they claim #Israelis can't accept any day-after plans b/c they can't accept a #Palestinian state. In fact... 🧵

bit.ly/75palstate

USAID had "substantial expertise in designing, delivering and monitoring humanitarian programming, tailored to the politically sensitive environment." It "engaged constructively" with Israel. It's "considerable... know-how" is "so desperately needed" now.

We need a return to civility and respect in politics. Here's how we get there | Opinion Your political opponent is not your enemy. This Campaign for Civility is a call to all Texans to listen, understand and engage in finding solutions.

From Texas Lyceum, working on civil politics in TX for 45 yrs: 69% of Texans say it's possible to disagree respectfully about politics and avoid the nasty. "Your political opponent is not your enemy.... how we argue matters as much as what we argue." Tips and a call to action...

ICYMI: "'Many people saw the lie,' one expert says. 'Fewer saw the correction'"
"How conspiracy theories about Palestinian arsonists spread like wildfire in Israel
Old videos, misleading maps and political rhetoric turned a natural disaster into a national scapegoating campaign."

Three U.S. citizens, ages 2, 4 and 7, swiftly deported from Louisiana The cases have renewed concerns that the Trump administration’s expedited deportations are violating the rights of both citizens and noncitizens.

This line is going to stick with me for a very long time.

“One of them is a 4-year-old with Stage 4 cancer who was deported without medication or the ability to contact their doctors…”

The Enduring Hope This article explains how the connection between the Palestinian conflict and Israel's internal crisis endangers the Zionist project and what we must do to overcome this crisis. In 1897, the First…

Anahnu: "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the civil disputes within Israel are not separate issues but are intertwined. Israel's social, political, and identity structure creates a situation where solving one issue requires addressing the other."

RBF's Commitment to Civil Society The Rockefeller Brothers Fund remains dedicated to our grantees, committed to aligning our investments with our mission, united with fellow philanthropies, and firm in our values.

RBF statement: "Philanthropy is the economic engine of civil society" & "[i]ndependent from partisan agendas." W/non-profits under attack, it says its "philanthropic practices are built to weather these storms."