(NIF US) Livestream – Resisting Settler Violence in the West Bank
7 PM ET | 6 PM CT | 4 PM PT
*Virtual, livestream details provided upon registration*
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There has been an alarming surge of settler violence in the West Bank. The situation is unacceptable and unsustainable as whole Palestinian communities are being forced out of their villages. For years, the NIF global community has supported organizations on the ground opposing the occupation and settler enterprise, and is proud to bring a delegation of Israeli activists engaged in protective presence to Boston, New York, and Washington, DC this month. They will bear witness to the alarming surge in settler violence and highlight the crucial role they play in responding to it on the ground.
This livestream will broadcast the event at Temple Sinai in Washington, DC.
Join us to hear their stories and testimonies, learn about their vital work, and find out how you can be part of the effort to protect Palestinian communities and hold settlers accountable.
SPEAKERS:
Or Sivan is a Tel Aviv-based activist and educator who has dedicated herself to protective presence work in the Jordan Valley and the Jerusalem area since October 7th. A Mizrahi woman whose father immigrated from Morocco, Or draws a direct line between the historical systemic racism faced by Arab Jews and the current realities of Palestinians in the West Bank. With a background in education and dance from Kibbutzim College, she utilizes her position to stand in solidarity with vulnerable communities in Areas B and C, viewing her presence as a refusal to accept a status quo of fear and separation. By crossing physical and social divides, Or works to build bridges of friendship and prove that partners for peace exist, urging Israelis to use their privilege to defend human rights and foster a shared future.
Roei Kleitman is an educator, historian, and activist dedicated to fostering a courageous religious-humanistic discourse in Israel. He is the founder of HaMidrasha HaEmunit, a community program that empowers young adults to bridge their faith with political responsibility. A graduate of Otniel Yeshiva with an MA in History, Roei is a leading voice in HaSmol HaEmuni (The Religious Left) and the Bnei Avraham group. In this capacity, he leads protective presence initiatives, providing on-the-ground solidarity and human rights defense for vulnerable communities. Based in Jerusalem, Ro’i combines his research in urban geography with digital storytelling to advocate for a more just and inclusive Israeli society.
Maya Mark leads the New Israel Fund’s support and protection program for activists in the West Bank, where she works to strengthen the safety and resilience of those providing a protective presence. Based in Haifa, Maya brings years of direct field experience accompanying Palestinian communities under threat. As a linguist and educator, she co-founded a specialized Arabic language program for Israeli activists based in Masafer Yatta which has trained over 60 graduates to communicate effectively and build deeper relationships with local residents. By combining pedagogical expertise with grassroots activism, Maya has created a vital entry point for long-term, sustainable human rights work.
OPENING REMARKS:
Jonatan (Yoni) Shimshoni served for 25 years with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in both field command and staff positions, culminating his career as Director of Planning for the Planning Division with the rank of Brigadier General. He received his PhD in Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton, with a specialty in security policy. Yoni has taught at Princeton and has pursued research on strategic issues at MIT and the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington; he has published within the Cornell Studies in Security Affairs and in International Security on conventional deterrence, technology and doctrinal innovation, as well as in Survival and in the leading Israeli daily Haaretz. Yoni has served on several committees of the Israeli National Security Council and in the IDF reserves worked extensively on challenging security issues related to economics, technology, strategy and doctrine. In recent years his work has focused on society-centric warfare and its implications for strategy. In addition to these security and policy related endeavors, Yoni was Managing Partner of PWC Consulting in Israel and led the establishment and management of a start-up company. In 2019-20 he was a Visiting Scholar at SSP, engaged in exploration of the American Civil War as a society-centric conflict.