8/12/2015 Haifa. Mossawa’s program coordinator and member of Haifa City Council, Ms. Areen Abdi, opened the conference. Further opening remarks were made by EU head of delegation, Mr. Lars Faaborg-Andersen, Japanese Ambassador H.E. Shigeo Matsutomi, Head of the High Follow up Committee for the Arab community and former Knesset member Mr. Mohamed Barakeh and director of the Mossawa Center Mr. Jafar Farah.

The EU Head of Delegation Mr. Lars Faaborg-Andersen emphasized the right of all citizens to be politically active. He stated, “As recognized in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, everyone has the right to take part in the government of his or her country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.” Mr. Faaborg-Andersen also highlighted how the work of Mossawa empowered Arab citizens to be more politically active. Following Mr. Faabor-Andersen Japanese Ambassador H.E. Shigeo Matsutomi emphasized the important role of Arab citizens in peace building in the region. He stated, “Based on its unique and important position of the Arab community, I hope that the Arab community will play further a constructive role to bridge between Israel and the Palestinians by upholding the basic values of religious tolerance and political pluralism.” He also stressed that Japan is a major partner to achieving peace in the region.

Following opening remarks, journalist, Jackie Khoury, moderated the main panel. Panelists included; MK Dr. Bassel Ghattas, MK Dr. Yousef Jabareen, MK Zuheir Bahloul, former PA minister Maher Ghoneim, Author Mr. Muhamed Ali Taha and Counselor from the Japanese Embassy, Mr. Katsunobu Takada. The Panelists spoke about the legal status and role of the Arab community in designing a shared future. They discussed the success of the Arab Joint list in the recent elections in becoming the third largest party in the Knesset. Depsite this success, the Arab community is continuing to experience political, media and economic discrimination.
The panelists discussed the challenge of transforming strength in numbers in to strength in effectiveness and efficiency. They also discussed the relationship between the Arab community and the Israeli government and Left movement. The panelists stressed the importance for the Arab community to become a political force with works for the public in the media, economics, the government and the international community with the ability to determine the future of the country. During the panel, the audience learned about Japanese peace initiatives and welcomed its flagship project “Jericho Agro-Industrial Park”.

In one of the following three simultaneous panels the speakers addressed the issue of the impact of the appointment of Arab citizens in decision-making positions in various government institutions. Mossawa’s legal advocate Sameh Iraqi led the meeting. The panelists discussed the lack of integration of Arab citizens in government decision-making positions. They do not hold the position of minister or director in any of the ministries including the Ministry for social equality. Amy Palmer, Justice Ministry director-general participated in the debate along with the chairman of the Northern district Bar Association, Adv. Khaled Zoabi, Chairperson of the Committee on the status of women, MK Aida Touma, MK Yossi Yona and Attorney Sawsan Qasim, director of the legal department of the National Insurance institute in Haifa. During the discussion panelists touched on the subject of the lack Judges from the Arab community in the various courts. Arab citizens make up 20% of the population but only 7.7% of Judges or 52 out of 672 come from the Arab community. Only one Arab citizen sits in the Supreme Court and only 10 in the district courts. In the last 8 years 92 judges have been appointed but only 12 from the Arab community.

Another of the simultaneous panels was on the influence of economic policies on the development of the Arab community. The Panel began with a presentation by Mossawa’s economist Mr. Eyad Snunu and was moderated by the Director of a Child care Center in Nazareth, Nabila Espanioly Panelists included; MK Abd Al Hakeen Haj Yahya, Dr. Suha Jubran, Mr. Suheil Karam, Adv. Mudar Younis, Mr. Ala’ Gantos. Panelists discussed economic legislation such as the tax preferences law, the gas bill and changes in planning and construction in the state budget. Many of the attendees for the panel were heads of Arab local councils. Participantsin the discussion agreed that the main struggle was over the allocation of funds from the state budget to the Arab community. The buget for 2015-2016 exceeded 800 billion shekels but the Arab community received less than 7% of these funds. It was agreed that continued pressure on the government to increase allocations in the fields of housing, education, employment, welfare, transportation and services provided by local authorities was needed.

The third panel discussed the rising tension between state institutions and the Arab community. Since October 2000 there has only been an increase in the incitement against the Arab community and its leaders and the adoption of the right-wing Israeli court decisions and government positions has become a serious threat in all areas of political participation of Arab community. Mossawa director, Mr. Jafar Farah moderated the panel. Panelists included; Dr. Louie Zreik, an expert in labor laws, Adv. Abeer Baker, a human rights activist, Adv. Suhad Bishara from Adallah and Adv. Omar Khamaisi from Mezan. The panelists emphasized the disturbing phenomena of discriminatory legislation such as the extension of the emergency law, extension of the citizenship law, the Nakba law, the raise of the vote threshold prior to the last elections and initiatives to enact laws, which would limit freedom of expression. Also discussed was the closure of institutions in the Arab community such as those of the Northern Islamic Movement. Further more, they discussed the issue of police brutality and the killing of Arab citizens by police and the failure of the internal police investigation unit to hold police officers responsible for their actions. The panelists also discussed ways to develop the relationship between the Arab community and government institutions to counter the incitement and to promote legislation that guarantees the protection of rights of Arab citizens.

The conference was summarized and closed with remarks from Mossawa’s legal advocate Sameh Iraqi.  A Plan of action based on the recommendations discussed at the conference will be issued. Further a network of jurists and politicians are working to submit these recommendations to the relevant state institutions with the goal of developing new legislation in cooperation with MKs. Efforts will be channeled towards the building of society to transform the power of the Arab community to be more effective in influencing decision making bodies in the government and play a larger role in peace and equality building in the country.

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