2017 marks 50 years since Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza and 24 years since the signing of the Oslo Accords. Over the last 50 years, but particularly since the signing of the Oslo accords in 1993, there have been significant changes on the ground in the occupied Palestinian territories that have negatively impacted efforts to achieve peace with justice. With Israeli settlements now controlling approximately 42% of all West Bank Land, freedom of movement severely restricted for Palestinians, and a range of human rights violations carried out routinely without consequence, many faith groups are shifting from an advocacy framework that focuses on state structures and toward a call for equal rights for all people in Israel and Palestine regardless of the governance systems in place. In this roundtable discussion participants will have an opportunity to consider the implications of such a shift in focus, what it might mean for them as advocates, and the structures, systems, and practices that would need to change in order for equality to become a reality for both Palestinians and Israelis.

Speakers: