Standing Together — a testimony from within
Majd Asadi, a 48 Palestinian, writes this important account of his involvement in Standing Together
At the beginning of the genocide, I cooperated with Standing Together and became a movement member. I gave speeches at meetings and helped a bit with the organization’s activities. However, I always noticed many obstacles within the movement and never understood whether they were random or intentional.
First Point
At the first meeting I attended, Alon-Lee sat with another movement leader and they talked about their trip to New York, where they approached protesters at a pro-Palestinian demonstration to explain the issue with saying “Free Palestine,” arguing that there are two peoples here who must live together — Israelis and Palestinians alike. But if they had understood that “Free Palestine” means dismantling apartheid, historical recognition of 78 years of occupation and dispossession, they would not have done so.
Second Point
Another suspicious issue — I never understood why the organization tries to reach every person in the country. After all, it is powerful to reflect all layers of society and its people, but when the movement tries to appeal to Palestinians, Israelis, Zionists, and anti-Zionists alike, when it seats the oppressing soldier in uniform next to the oppressed Palestinian so they can talk about equality and reconciliation — while in reality, the soldier will return to duty the next day in order to commit genocide — that was one of the strangest moments for me.
I would have welcomed a similar meeting, where they acknowledged the oppression which is carried out by the soldiers in order to enforce the occupation, rather than presenting it as a mere government policy.
She began talking about the hardships faced by soldiers in reserve duty, mentioning that her husband had just returned from a month of reserve duty in Gaza.
Third Point
On the Flour Massacre, February 29, 2024,
The IDF bombed hundreds of Gazans while they were receiving humanitarian aid, resulting in the murder of over 700 people. This was one of the cruelest and most brutal massacres after the Al-Mamdani Massacre. The movement organized a vigil and a protest — I remember that we were hundreds of protesters, and there were dozens of others holding signs with eyes on them, saying “All Eyes on Rafah.” We chanted slogans like “Free Palestine,” etc.
I was shocked when the organization invited former Knesset member Stav Shaffir to give a speech. She began talking about the hardships faced by soldiers in reserve duty, mentioning that her husband had just returned from a month of reserve duty in Gaza.
I was in shock, like the hundreds of others in the crowd who booed her, shouted at her to get off the stage, and interrupted her mid-speech until she was forced to change her words and speak in slogans like “Ending the war and bringing the hostages home.”
That was an unforgettable moment when I realized that the people’s pain and struggle were being exploited. This act by an organization that is supposed to be strategic was completely irresponsible and unforgivable. At that moment I understood that there was a conscious effort to reach every sector of Israeli society — the oppressed and the oppressors alike — which is why this is full normalization with the occupying Zionist entity.
Fourth Point
I applied for a position as a content spokesperson for the movement. I sent my resume and received a writing assignment that I was supposed to complete within four days. In the end, I finished it within two hours and submitted it, and I was warmly accepted for the role.
But something stopped me and left me with lingering doubts and questions. One of the clauses in the assignment stated:
“The Israeli government is threatening to attack Rafah. You must draft a personal post by Alon-Lee, and then a personal post by Rula Daood opposing the war.”
Here, I did not understand — why do I need to write two different posts for the two main leaders of the movement?! There is no explanation for this other than crafting the message in a different language — one post to appeal to Jews in a way that fits Israeli discourse, and another for Palestinians to align with Palestinian discourse.
This issue alone was a major red flag and helped me complete the bigger picture, leading me to stop cooperating with the organization.
Final Conclusion
After deep thought, I recognize that the movement has many blessed initiatives and undoubtedly good intentions. I do not see a problem in taking part in their concrete actions.
However, I cannot participate in Israeli peace organizations — not because I oppose peace, but because the struggle for equality, rights, and justice is impossible within a colonialist oppressive entity that is based on dispossession, racial and military supremacy, displacement and destruction, settlements, and demographic engineering.
A true advocate for peace cannot shout for equality and peace without fighting the very system which is responsible for the oppression. Asking for equal rights and peace within the system itself is a struggle for nothing other than whitewashing the crimes of that very system.
In the end, dismantling a regime of racial supremacy also serves the future of Israelis in this land — dismantling racial and military superiority and their oppression as colonialists, turning them into natives and part of the land. Therefore, dismantling the framework does not necessarily mean tearing apart the entire picture.
Thank you Majd Asadi for allowing me to share your words.
For more criticism of Standing Together see here:
https://ronniebarkan.medium.com/standing-together-collected-material-public-6352fb9d7b94
