Mobilizing Against the New Face of Genocide and War

A Strategy Conference

Saturday, March 7, 2026, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Cambridge Friends Meeting, 5 Longfellow Park, Cambridge, MA 02138

The very existence of Palestinians as a viable national community is existentially threatened by the Trump-Netanyahu Gaza agreement, now officially adopted by the United Nations Security Council as official U.N. policy. After repeated US vetoes of ceasefire proposals throughout the genocide, the Security Council placed its imprimatur on a Trump/Netanyahu deal that basically threw 70 years of UN resolutions about Israel/Palestine out the window.

Meanwhile, Trump’s regime change war on Iran, supported by many in Congress but not by the American people, has brought war to the entire region and thrown international law out the window.

In these new, difficult circumstances it is time for the anti-genocide, anti-war, and Palestinian solidarity movements to come together to consider how best to organize collectively to achieve policy changes in the US and more justice for all in Palestine and the Middle East. Our past focus on ceasefire and humanitarian aid violations are not enough. Instead we must consolidate around attacking or modifying the present agreement itself in ways supportive of Palestinian self-determination; condemning Israel’s continuing depredations; raising high the banner of Paletinian national rights; and demanding an immediate end to the attack on Iran.

Panel 1 – Situation in Gaza and West Bank, impact of Trump Agreement, Board of Peace, attack on Iran, and related Mideast crises

Nancy Murray, Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine and Gaza Mental Health Foundation

Leila Farsakh, professor of political science and leading Palestinian rights advocate, UMass Boston

Amira Hass, Haaretz correspondent, columnist, and activist

Susan Akram, Boston University, clinical professor of law and director of the International Human Rights Clinic

Panel 2 – What do we do?  Our new message – Our strategy – Breaking the hold of the weaponization of anti-semitism 

Rami G. Khouri, Palestinian-American journalist, author, and public policy expert with over six decades of experience covering the Middle East

Lea Kayali, organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement based out of Boston, steering committee member of the People’s Embargo for Palestine

Paul Shannon, Mass. Peace Action, co-chair Gaza Israel Mideast peace campaign

Breakout Topics – Session 1

• Refuting the false anti-semitism arguments – Merrie Najimy
• Integrating our messaging and our public actions and events – Paul Shannon
• The Future of Boycott and Divest – Raisa/ Sheba out of MA, Malick/ Cambridge for Palestine, Nancy Aykanian/ BDS Boston
• Political action – the Palestine issue in Congressional elections 2026 – Elizabeth Baldwin and Jeff Klein

Breakout Topics – Session 2

• Legislative action – organizing to pass Federal and state bills on Palestine and the Middle East – Elizabeth Baldwin and Jeff Klein
• The struggle over suppression of free speech about Palestine in Massachusetts – Sana Fadel, Paul Shannon, Sara Roy
• Public Education and Action to Further the Palestine Movement – Jill El-Ashkar and Julie Jolin
• Iran – ending the US initiated war – Bahar Sharafi, Rami G. Khouri

Schedule

8:30 Coffee and registration – Friends Room

9:30 Welcome and Introduction – Meeting House.  NO Food and Drink in the Meeting House

10:00 Panel 1 – Meeting House

11:30 Panel 2 – Meeting House

12:45 Lunch – Friends Room

1:45 Breakout session 1

3:00 Breakout session 2

4:15 Brainstorm – Building the movement to end the Iran war – Meeting House

5:15 Adjourn

Registration (includes lunch): regular $25, student/low income $10, supporter $75, tabling group $50.

Logistics: There is ample free parking on Longfellow Park on Saturday.  Longfellow Park is a 10 minute walk out Brattle Street from Harvard Square.  By bus, take the 73 bus from Harvard station and get off at the second stop, Mt. Auburn and Ash Streets.   The Meeting House and Friends Room are fully accessible.  Some of the breakout spaces are in the basement and there is an elevator near the Friends Room.

Lunch will consist of roll-ups with a choice of chicken or beef/lamb sharawma, or falafel, plus tabouleh, hummus, dessert, and soft drink.

Sponsored by Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund.  Cosponsored by Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine; CD8 for Palestine; Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment – Palestine/Gaza committee; Cambridge Friends Meeting – Peace and Social Justice committee; Needham for Palestine; Palestinian Youth Movement; Arlington for Palestine; MTA Rank and File for Palestine; Sawa: Newton-Area Alliance for Peace and Justice.   Cosponsors welcome; must publicize the event.  Contact info@masspeaceaction.org or call 617 354 2169.