The Mossawa Center and representatives from the Arab community, 4 MKs from the Joint List, met with the Mashreq/Maghreb Working Party of the Council of the European Union to discuss the needs of the Arab minority in Israel, a community that makes up 20% of Israel’s overall population. The discussion considered the exclusion of Palestinian Arab political leadership from Israel’s diplomatic mission and how this Arab leadership can collaborate with EU member states to secure the rights of all of Israel’s citizens.

As part of its mission, the Council working party is tasked with examining the legislative proposals made by the European Commission in the Mashreq/Maghreb region. Composed of experts from each member state, MAMA was reminded by the Mossawa Center and Arab representatives of Israel’s commitment to human rights as stated in Article Two of the EU-Israel Agreement.

At a time of great uncertainty for the Arab community in Israel with the final voting expected on the Jewish Nation State Bill, the meeting will aim to consider the consequences of the bill’s passing for Israel’s Arab population and what it means for the international community to recognise Israel as a primarily Jewish state.

The delegation includes:

· Knesset member Yousef Jabareen (Chair of the Joint List International Affairs Committee)

· Knesset member Aida Touma-Suleiman (Chair of the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality)

· Knesset member Jamal Zahalka (Chair of the Joint List in the Knesset)

· Knesset member Masud Ghnaim (United Arab List)