The Countdown to a Two State Agreement Begins！ December 12th 2007

　　RAMALLAH, Palestine, Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- In a symbolic show of support for ongoing negotiations, today OneVoice Palestine announced the launch of a public awareness campaign through 5 digital screens displaying countdown clocks set for a one year deadline for a two state agreement, guaranteeing an end to occupation and the establishment of a viable independent Palestinian state. The screens will run the adverts for one week, and are installed in prominent locations in and around Ramallah. [http://onemillionvoices.org/ar/dec_12.html]

    (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071015/NYM142LOGO )

    At last month''s peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, President Abbas and the Israeli Prime Minister Olmert committed themselves to a process for ongoing negotiations, with an aim to reach an agreement by the end of 2008. Their official negotiations began today in Jerusalem.

    "In Annapolis the leaders took a serious step forward in committing to a timetable and a process for continued negotiations toward an agreement. But in order to make a success of these negotiations, in order to build a lasting, sustainable peace, we will need the support and involvement of the people," said Nisreen Shaheen, General Director of OneVoice Palestine. "The Palestinian people to support their president and the Palestinian negotiators to achieve our dream in having our viable and independent Palestinian state. And the Israeli people to push their government to take serious steps to end the occupation, to solve the conflict, to reach a final status agreement."

    These negotiations represent the first time in 7 years that the leaders have recommitted to a formal process for ongoing negotiations, one of the goals for which OneVoice was founded. Since its establishment in 2002, OneVoice has worked to empower the moderate majority of citizens in Palestine and in Israel to take personal responsibility in ending occupation and resolving the conflict, to mobilize them to support their elected leaders for progress toward a mutually-acceptable two state agreement. OneVoice Palestine, based in Ramallah, works to amplify the will of the majority of Palestinians who wish for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital and with a just and fair solution to the refugees issue according to the UN Security Council resolutions. Now that negotiations have officially recommenced, OneVoice is launching the clocks as a part of a larger public awareness campaign to remind citizens of the critical role they have to play in ensuring that the process is successful.

    Throughout the year, OneVoice plans to organize various activities to spread the Palestinian people''s message to the world to raise pressure to deliver an end to occupation and a viable independent Palestinian state in peace with Israel. Parallel efforts are taking place in Israel and throughout the world, where OneVoice Israel and OneVoice International will also install countdown clocks and create exhibits to remind citizens of their duty to support the process towards a two-state agreement.

    About the OneVoice Movement:

    The OneVoice Movement is a mainstream nationalist grassroots movement with over 600,000 signatories in roughly equal numbers both in Israel and in Palestine, and 3,000 highly-trained youth leaders. It aims to amplify the voice of the overwhelming but heretofore silent majority of moderates who wish for peace and prosperity, empowering them to demand accountability from elected representatives and work toward a two-state solution guaranteeing ending occupation and a viable, independent Palestinian state at peace with Israel. OneVoice counts on its Board over 60 foremost dignitaries and business leaders across a wide spectrum of politics and beliefs, joining as OneVoice for conflict resolution. http://onemillionvoices.org/ar/dec_12.html

    Source: The OneVoice Movement