The Mossawa Center, Haifa. Tuesday 2nd of September 2014. On Friday, September 12th, 2014, the Mossawa Center will host its annual legal conference, entitled "The Legal Status of the Arab Community". The conference is being organized by the Mossawa Center as part of a project supported by the EU and Bread for the World. EU head of delegation, Lars Faaborg-Andersen will give opening remarks. The conference will bring together legal groups, politicians, ambassadors, academics, Journalists, lawyers and jurists from all over the country. This will be an opportunity for debate and discussion on the ongoing issues of discrimination and violence against Arab citizens which have only increased and become more apparent in the months leading up to and during the war on Gaza. Now is the crucial time for the Arab community as well as its partners in the Jewish and international community to strategize on how to best work together to move forward and fight the injustices perpetrated against Arab citizens.
 
The legal conference will focus on the issue of the legal status of the Arab minority in Israel in light of the increase in hate crimes against Arabs and the War on Gaza, which will be discussed in the opening panel. Followed by a panel titled "Restrictions on Freedom of Expression: Legal and Political Aspects," which will discuss among other issues, the harassment suffered by those who expressed opinions against the war in Gaza. In the afternoon two simultaneous panels will be offered. "Legal tools for facing Hate crimes, discrimination and harassment in the work place and restriction on political Rights" will discuss Price tag as well as other racially motivated harassment and attacks against Arab citizens. "The Arab Community: Poverty, Boycott and Economic Potential" will discuss calls to boycott Arab businesses as well as the development needs of the Arab community as a whole.  
 
Speakers will include; Mr. Ali Salam, Mayor of Nazareth, Mr. Mazen Ghanaiem, Mayor of Sakhnin, Mr. Mohammad Barakeh, MK for Hadash, Mr. Sheikh Ibrahim Sarsour, MK for Ra'am-Ta'al, Mr. Basel Ghattas, MK for Balad, Dr. Ahmed Tibi, head of Ta'al, Mr. Gideon Levy Journalist for Haaretz, Dr. Hala Khoury- Bisharat, Lecturer of Law, Adv. Sawsan Zaher, of Adalah, Mr. Zoher Bahalul, Journalist for El Shams Radio and others.  
 
Advocate for Mossawa, Jawwad Qassem comments, "We have to study the experiences of the Arab community in the last few months and find the tools for internal decision making leading to a united voice for our demands to change our reality, and recognition of our individual and collective rights. We will try to contribute to this goal through the conference."
 
 Eyad Snunu, Economist for the Mossawa Center, comments: "Statements made by politicians and key ministers calling for the economic boycott of Arab businesses is a serious problem and must be confronted and stopped."
 
This conference is open to the general public and all members of civil and political society are encouraged to join us.  In order to participate, please contact the Mossawa Center before September 9th.

For the complete Schedule of the conference click here

To register click here