NSL INTRODUCES:
A holistic plan to build a post-conflict society in Israel and Palestine,
jointly designed by Palestinians and Israelis.
WHY THE PHOENIX PLAN?
Each year since 2009, NSL has recruited and competitively selected the most accomplished and high-potential Palestinian and Israeli young adults, 19-35 years old. Every summer, NSL brings ten new delegates to Washington, where they live together with host families, work together on Capitol Hill, and train together with DC’s best. They tell their stories and advocate for their shared homeland throughout Congress, foreign embassies, the State Department, and faith-based audiences across the Washington DC area. NSL has been proud to elevate the voices of the next generation of leaders committed to working together for justice and peace.
But October 7, 2023, changed things…
October 7th and its aftermath changed everything. Soon after the war started, we reached out to our alumni to check on their safety and ask them what they would like NSL to do. Ten brave NSL alumni - Muslim, Jewish, and Christian - from Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem decided to move forward together.
First, the group crafted a joint statement on October 19th, 2023 calling for an immediate ceasefire and hostage release. NSL distributed this statement throughout our Congressional network and met with Members of Congress and their staff, but they also realized that this was not nearly enough.
After months of research, discussion, and an intense week together in Geneva, these young leaders negotiated and drafted The Phoenix Plan. This plan goes much further than the call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and freeing all hostages. The Phoenix Plan sets forth a framework for what needs to happen after the fighting stops. It sets forth an actionable path forward towards peace, justice, security, and self-determination for both Palestinians and Israelis for generations to come.
WHAT MAKES THIS PLAN UNIQUE?
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We wrote the plan together, addressing the real needs of Palestinians and Israelis in the region rather than top-down assumptions from the military/security sector.
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We’ve lived through many rounds of violent escalation that ended with a ceasefire, for things to just escalate again.
With the Phoenix Plan, we are building a foundation for long-lasting peace, giving Israelis and Palestinians a real chance at a safe and secure reality.
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While the mainstream discourse tries to force people and policies into “Pro-Palestinian” and “Pro-Israeli,” we know that our fate is deeply intertwined.
For a lasting peace, we need to consider both peoples at the same time.