The controversy surrounding musician and activist Roger Waters' stance on Israel and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has taken a new turn as an Israeli-Palestinian peace group, Standing Together, faces a boycott call from a founding member of the BDS campaign. Palestinian activists are debating whether to boycott Standing Together, accusing the joint Jewish-Arab Israeli activist group of whitewashing Israel's actions in Gaza. The group has been advocating for an end to the Israel-Hamas war and renewed efforts toward Israeli-Palestinian peace [xxxxxxxx]. The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) called for the boycott, claiming that Standing Together is serving Israel's propaganda strategy [c539215d]. However, Standing Together's Israeli Arab membership has denounced the boycott call, stating that it only benefits the Israeli government's crackdown on antiwar voices [c539215d]. The group's leadership includes both Palestinian and Jewish Israelis and is preparing for leadership elections and a major peace gathering in Haifa [c539215d]. Despite facing criticism from Palestinians who oppose any engagement with Israel, Standing Together has gained prominence since the start of the war and has seen growing support within Israel and abroad, particularly on social media [c539215d].
A prominent Israeli grassroots organization called Standing Together is promoting peace, equality, and social justice by mobilizing Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel. They recently spoke at an online forum in western Massachusetts, where they emphasized the need for Israeli-Palestinian peace and equality between Jews and Arabs in Israel. Standing Together aims to de-escalate inter-communal violence, provide mutual aid for families, organize solidarity rallies, and create spaces for safe grieving. They believe that achieving peace involves addressing systemic discrimination, incarceration, and police violence. The organization encourages the global community, including the Jewish community in the United States, to promote the idea that Jewish safety is linked to Palestinian freedom. The event included breakout discussion groups to explore local programming and establish a local chapter of Friends of Standing Together [fa8f293f].