At first glance, the current situation in Israel and the Occupied Territories does not appear to be a pleasant one. Most disturbing is the election of Ariel Sharon as Prime Minister of Israel this month. By many accounts, Sharon is a war criminal. He was the Defense Minister during Israel’s disastrous war with Lebanon. He was then fired in 1983 after an Israeli Judicial Tribunal found him “indirectly” responsible for the massacre of hundreds of Palestinians in the Lebanese refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila. Most recently, Sharon is known for his provocative visit to the Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount on Sep. 28 of last year. The impeccably timed visit ignited a tense situation that has resulted in the deaths of about 400 people the vast majority of whom are Palestinians. In his campaign promises, Sharon has retracted many past peace offers, promised to expand settlements in the Occupied Territories and of course, take a “tougher” stance on the Palestinian uprising. Clearly, these campaign promises will only perpetuate the cycle of violence. Certainly, Palestinian violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip has not eased the situation either. The continued cycle of riots and bombings only works against the efforts of peacemakers. Despite these setbacks, hope exists for peace in the Holy Land. CNN reported earlier this month that a grassroots Palestinian organization showed how they were fighting Israeli Occupation in the West Bank town of Ramallah. But this was a different kind of fighting: no rocks, knives, or guns. Yeah, that’s right, no violence. This organization was hitting where it hurts most, the pocketbooks of Israeli companies. In a well-planned campaign, the organization and community activists passed out fliers listing common household products manufactured by Israeli companies and also listing Palestinian-made alternatives. The response to the boycott was immediate. Consumers started buying more Palestinian-made products such as toilet paper, detergents and soft drinks. In addition, Palestinian industry promises to increase production. The overwhelming response shows that a boycott can be very popular, and more importantly, effective. Israel exports nearly $2 billion to Palestinian areas annually. Maybe it’s just intuition, but I’m willing to bet that the Israeli Government will work just a little faster toward justice and equality for the Palestinian people the moment the heat is on from Israeli companies with reduced profits. If this organization and others in the Occupied Territories were to coordinate their efforts, the effect could be greatly amplified. The boycott comes at a time when it is needed most. Palestinian stones and bombs are only met with increasingly brutal Israeli force. The time is truly ripe for a non-violent movement. The world is so used to violent protest that a non-violent Intifada — the kind of movement that the Israeli Government fears most — will surely command the world’s attention. Not the gangs of rock-throwing youth or even Hamas. The Israeli Government knows better than anyone that the moment a strong, well organized, and most importantly non-violent movement appears, its days of oppression are numbered. The Israelis know it’s the only kind of protest they can’t fight with F-16s and tanks. For Palestinians, the downfall of Israeli oppression will not be riots and bombs, but a grassroots movement that makes use of the internet and other media to research, expose and archive Israeli atrocities. Long-term peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis will remain only a dream until the cycle of violence is stopped and the Israeli regime of oppression and injustice is halted. Omar Tesdell is a freshman in journalism and mass communication from Slater, just a few short minutes from Huxley. Hmmmm.