Partners: Standing Together & Women Wage Peace
In 2025, while the war in Gaza was still raging and Israeli hostages were still being held in Gaza, the anti-war movement inside Israel was growing. Civil society played a central role in pushing calls for a ceasefire forward and making them visible to a growing number of Israelis.
This collaboration mattered because it brought together Women Wage Peace and Standing Together — Israel’s two largest joint Jewish–Arab grassroots movements — at a moment when coordinated public action could strengthen the reach and legitimacy of the call for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a political alternative based on security, equality, and dignity.
What B8 of Hope supported
B8 of Hope supported a joint mobilization effort led by Women Wage Peace and Standing Together in 2025.
The collaboration began in April with the “Refuse War” demonstration at Habima Square in Tel Aviv. More than 10,000 Jewish and Palestinian citizens gathered, making it one of the largest peace mobilizations since the outbreak of the war. The rally amplified public pressure for a ceasefire and hostage deal, while intentionally highlighting women’s leadership at the forefront of the peace movement.
Speakers included civil society leaders, public figures, activists, and movement organizers. The rally’s visual language placed the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza alongside the ongoing captivity of Israeli hostages, underscoring the shared human cost of the war. Materials were produced in Hebrew, Arabic, and English to ensure broad accessibility.
When police attempted to prohibit the display of the posters, Standing Together successfully challenged the decision in court. The controversy generated significant media coverage and increased the rally’s visibility.
As the public and political context shifted, the two organizations adapted their strategy. Instead of organizing a second mass rally in central Tel Aviv, they launched three coordinated protest actions near the Gaza border, bringing the anti-war message closer to the geographic and moral center of the fighting.
What the collaboration made possible
Together, the April mass protest and the Gaza border actions marked a significant escalation in joint Jewish–Arab anti-war mobilization.
The grant helped two major grassroots movements coordinate across constituencies, sustain public pressure, and keep a clear call for ceasefire, hostage release, safety, equality, and peace visible under highly constrained conditions.
Why it matters
This was not only a series of protests. It was an example of civil society stepping into a painful and polarized public space with a political and moral alternative.
By acting together, Women Wage Peace and Standing Together helped give the growing anti-war movement greater reach, visibility, and public legitimacy. Their partnership showed how Synergy Grants can strengthen collaboration between trusted grantees when the moment calls for shared action.