Peace in Gaza? --The Path Forward to a Democratic Middle East

Updated Event Focus, in light of new recent events:


Peace in Gaza?


Breaking the Cycle of Violence in Gaza

The Path Forward to a Democratic Middle East

Sunday, October 19 · 1-4 PM15th Street Quaker Meeting, New York City

In the wake of the newly brokered ceasefire in Gaza, the possibilities for peace have shifted dramatically. What once felt like a desperate struggle against unending violence is now an opening—a chance to imagine what a just and lasting peace might look like.

This gathering brings together activists, musicians, and community voices to ask urgent new questions:

• Could a Marshall Plan–style reconstruction of Gaza help heal the devastation?
  
  
• How can we advocate for political change in Israel as Netanyahu’s scandals weaken his grip on power?
  
  
• Is it time to demand a real two-state solution—or to envision a “one-state” solution - a new kind of democratic Israel/Palestine based on equal rights for all?
  
  
• What will the role of Hamas be in the future of “who rules Gaza?”
  
  
• Can truth and reconciliation offer a path forward after the genocide and displacement of the past two years?
  
  

Grounded in the Quaker spirit of nonviolence, worship, and witness, we invite you to be part of re-imagining the future. This is not only a time for mourning and resistance—it is a time for vision, solidarity, and building the peace our world so desperately needs.

Join a discussion with a panel of activists who are engaging with this important issue.

NEW SPEAKER recently added:

Yousef Aljamal holds a doctorate in Middle Eastern Studies, is a Palestinian refugee from Gaza and is a senior non-resident scholar at the Hashim Sani Center for Palestine Studies, University of Malaya, Malaysia. He has contributed to a number of books on Palestine, including Gaza Writes Back and Light in Gaza.

Also:

David Rovics is a songwriter, musician, writer and podcaster based in Portland, Oregon. He has recorded dozens of albums and has millions of his songs streamed every year. His writing and podcasting can be found on Substack and other platforms.

Aharon Dardik is an Israeli-American ex-settler, conscientious objector to the Israeli military and nonviolent activist at Columbia University.

Linda Sarsour is a Palestinian Muslim American political activist and author, known for her work in intersectional movement building, community organizing, and advocacy for civil rights. She is the former executive director of the Arab American Association of New York (AAANY) and a co-chair of the 2017 Women's March on Washington.

Hosted by: Sander Hicks

Sander Hicks is active in the American peace movement, Zen & Quaker communities, DSA and Brooklyn Democratic Party. He recently published an Op-Ed calling for nonviolence in Israel/Palestine, in the NY Daily News. He runs www.nonviolence.works

Our Partners

Thank you to our Partners for their support of this event.