I am a proud Palestinian American, with my entire father’s side of the family hailing from Nablus in the heart of the West Bank. From a young age, I’ve always cared about the issue of Palestine and have wanted to bring justice to my people.
The Rise of Reason
Jadd Hashem
My POV
Realign For Palestine serves as a fresh, much-needed voice in the pro-Palestine movement—one that advocates for a pragmatic agenda that serves both Palestinians and Israelis. Dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis is crucial for a lasting peace and Realign For Palestine is a perfect example of an organization that brings people together, not apart.
For peace to exist, there has to be a sufficient pro-Palestine movement that goes beyond slogans and catchphrases. Instead of channeling extremism, Realign For Palestine creates a platform for the authentic Palestinian voices who wish to live with dignity, justice, and freedom. To achieve this, the project amplifies the voices of peacemakers who believe in mutual understanding, not tribalism. Through a pragmatic agenda, Realign For Palestine sets the stage for infinite opportunities for the Palestinian cause around the world.
Instead of channeling our anger into violence, I believe that we Palestinians must look to a brighter future – one that values reconciliation over revenge, and hope over dismay. Without the mutual understanding of “the other,” Palestinians and Israelis will continue to grow more extreme ideologically. Instead of amplifying the most extreme voices, Realign For Palestine seeks to build bridges and better our understanding of those we’ve often misunderstood.
About
Jadd Hashem is the Vice President of Atidna International and also the Palestinian Head of Dialogue. Born in Dallas as a Palestinian-American, Hashem has been active in local politics while campaigning for the total equality of Palestinians in Israel and Palestine. Following October 7, he stood out on his college campus for affirming his commitment to non-violence and showed up to be in solidarity with Jewish students who were grieving after the horrendous massacre. Jadd’s insistence on sticking with dialogue, engagement, mutual empathy, kindness, and respect made him an effective example of how one can hold space for multiple truths, such as the acknowledgement of both people’s right to safety, freedom, independence, and dignity.