Co-existence activists are considering founding a peacebuilding party

Settler violence continues to worsen against Palestinians in the West Bank. Late 2025 saw the worst surge of attacks in almost 20 years with settlers torching a mosque and trapping Palestinian workers in a factory.  Last month, foreign activists were injured when they stood against settlers attacking a Bedouin village.  

Military violence is also worsening. In November, the IDF shot two Palestinians after they appeared to surrender.  

But there is also an alternative to these symptoms of a country in decay. Late last year, some 1500 activists of the left-wing Arab-Jewish movement Standing Together gathered to mark the 10^th anniversary of the co-existence organisation.  

“It gives you energy to see a packed hall,” said Liza Couma, a Palestinian activist from Jaffa, who worked with Jewish activist Galit Massader to assist Arab and Jewish residents of that city who were impacted by Oct 7 and the start of the Gaza war. 

The movement, known in Hebrew as Omdim Beyachad and in Arabic as Naqef Ma’an, has always been premised on the idea that Palestinian and Jewish Israelis must work together to achieve peace and equality.