UK TASK FORCEON ISSUES RELATING TO ARAB CITIZENS IN ISRAEL

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WelcomeDear UK Task Force members and supporters,

2015/2016 has seen the growth of our coalition to 40 members, and the continued realisation of our vision: the British Jewish community supporting an inclusive Israeli society. Greater numbers of people from across the British Jewish community are participating in, learning about, and engaging with issues relating to Israel’s Arab citizens each year.

We have broadened our reach both within the UK and Israel, working to embed education about Israel’s Arab citizens across the British Jewish community in ways which authentically address issues of social and political equality, while also strengthening British Jews’ connection to Israel. We have continued to foster new ways of working with our coalition members, and continue to conduct annual study trips to bring our members face-to-face with the issues on the ground in Israel.

As we enter our 6th year, we look forward to growing the coalition and the reach of our education in the future. We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for your continued commitment to these issues and our shared work.

Best wishes,

Trevor Pears CMG Co-Chair, UK Task Force;

Executive Chair, Pears Foundation

Michael Wegier Co-Chair, UK Task Force; Chief Executive Officer,

United Jewish Israel Appeal3

Who we areJust over 20% of Israel’s population is Arab. According to data provided by Israel’s National Insurance Institute, more than half of the total Arab population, 53%, live in poverty, compared to 22% of the Jewish population, with socio-economic gaps between Jews and Arabs in Israel widening and the depth and severity of poverty in the Arab population increasing year-on-year.

Since the publication of the Or Commission report in 2003, many in the Israeli government and wider society have considered the integration of Israel’s Arab population to be the biggest domestic challenge the country faces, affecting Israel’s prosperity, security, and global standing.

The UK Task Force was established in 2010 to inform the British Jewish community of issues relating to Arab citizens of Israel and facilitate partnerships to advance the opportunities of Israel’s Arab minority. Modelled on the North American Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab issues (IATF), the UK Task Force was set up by the following founding organisations which form the Executive Committee:

Pursuing equality between Israel’s Arab and Jewish citizens will:

• SafeguardboththeJewish and democratic principles upon which Israel was founded, in accordance with the Declaration of Independence

• Ensurea stable and peaceful future for Israel, improving social relations and breaking down barriers and prejudices

• Strengthen Israel’s economy. The lost potential to Israel’s economy as a result of the failure to utilise the potential of the Arab workforce amounts to 31 billion shekels a year

• Bolster Israel’s global standing; help prepare the ground for a lasting, peaceful and stable two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and increase the chances of regional peace.

Since its establishment in 2010, the UK Task Force coalition has grown to 40 organisations reflecting the broad support for our work across the UK Jewish community and beyond.

ISRAEL’S ARAB POPULATION

ISRAEL’S ARAB POPULATION LIVING

BELOW THE POVERTY LINE

53%

20%

UK FRIENDS OF THE ABRAHAM FUND INITIATIVES

David Lehrer, Executive Director of the Arava Institute, speaking at an event in partnership with Ben Gurion University Foundation about the work of the institute and its impact in Israel and the region. Accompanying him was Zubaida Azery, an Israeli Arab graduate who spoke about her experience at the Arava Institute, the impact of Jews and Arabs studying together, and her current PhD program at BGU.

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Our Approach & Strategic Aims

Educateto deepen UK Jewish

understanding of issues relating to

Israel’s Arab citizens

Engageto connect British

Jews with partners in Israel and bring

UK participants face to face with key people and

issues during study trips to Israel

Empowerto facilitate

partnerships and, where appropriate, leverage resources

to support government

and civil society initiatives to

provide effective solutions on the

ground

Provide high quality

briefings and media updates

for UK Task Force stakeholders on

key issues

Coordinate targeted, tailor-

made study trips to learn about

the issues on the ground

Promote Israel-based engagement opportunities

for youth movements, schools, and

Israel educators

Raise awareness

through educational

events of work being undertaken in Israel to create

social change

Provide educational

consultancy to UK Task Force members and stakeholders

to inform their programming

Facilitate partnership

opportunities with the British

and Israeli governments

Create customised educational

resources for use by youth movements,

schools and Israel educators

Promote members’ work in particular areas & foster cross-

cultural exchange

Strengthen cooperation

between policymakers and

practitioners to strengthen quality and impact on the

ground

Play a connector role

for members and civil society

organisations working on these

issues

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2015 Highlights 2016 Highlights

October 2015Avirama Golan,

co-chair of Sikkuy, discusses why Arab citizens are needed

in Israel’s labour market, hosted by

UJIA

January 2015David Lehrer,

Executive Director of the Arava Institute

speaks about peace-building

and environmental leadership at the

House of Lords, and at ORT House in

partnership with Ben-Gurion University

Foundation

December 2015UK Task Force

partners with the British Embassy’s

UK Israel Tech Hub and Tsofen to host the 2nd

annual ‘ArabTech’ networking event

March 2016Yavneh College

hosts UK Task Force for a 10 session series on Arab

citizens of Israel for Year 13 students

October 2015Immanuel College’s Israel Society hosts

a UK Task Force session on Arab citizens of Israel

February 2015Amnon Be’eri

Sulitzeanu and Thabet Abu Ras,

Co-Executive Directors of

The Abraham Fund Initiatives,

speak at LJCC in conversation with Hagai Segal on the

Israeli elections

March 2015Naomi Chazan, former speaker of the Knesset, discusses the

implications of the election results

for shared society in Israel at UJIA & Board of Deputies in partnership with

NIF UK

March 2015UK Task Force hosts

5th Anniversary celebration with Yifat Ovadia of the Collective

Impact Initiative and Aiman Saif, General-Director of the Authority

for the Economic Development of the Minority Sectors in the Prime Minister’s Office at the Royal Society of Medicine

May 2015Wafaa Eben-Beeri

and Dr. Noga Zivan, Directors at AJEEC-NISPED, describe Arab-

Jewish partnership in the development of Negev Bedouin

society in partnership with Liberal Judaism

July 2015UK Task Force

runs educational sessions for 6th

Formers at “Israel: Get Connected”

event at JFS

June 2015King Solomon High

School hosts UK Task Force session on Arab citizens of

Israel

April 2015UK Task Force runs training

session on how to educate about Arab citizens of Israel at UJIA’s Israel tour

leadership training seminar

January 2016Hand in Hand’s

Executive Director Shuli Dichter

and Director of Education Dr Inas

Deeb, describe the Hand in Hand network and its

educational model in conversation with Dr Helena Miller at

UJIA

July 2016Professor Ayman

Agbariah & Dr Halelli Pinson

give a briefing on ‘The new Israeli civics textbook & Arab society’ at the European

Association of Israel Studies

November 2015Hannah Rendell,

Director of Development of Hagar: Jewish-

Arab Education for Equality, speaks at JHub in partnership

with The Board of Deputies of

British Jews on the work of the

association in the areas of education

and community empowerment

February 2016UK Task Force run sessions at

Scottish university Jewish societies

in partnership with UJS

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In Focus'Oriented' Film Screening

The UK Task Force in partnership with JW3 hosted a film screening of the feature documentary film ‘Oriented’ by Jake Witzenfeld, which follows the lives of three gay Palestinian friends confronting their national and sexual identity in Tel Aviv. Following these three friends allowed the viewers to gain an insight into the lives of a new generation of young Arabs in Israel, their hopes, doubts, and complex identity.

The screening was followed by a conversation with the film’s director, led by Kalela Lancaster, NIF Director of Strategic Engagement, with questions from the 130 audience members. The questions ranged from subjects including the ethical issues of making a documentary film containing very personal and intimate scenes, through to the

technical issues of film-making, including filming in a language that the director doesn’t speak, to personal and ideological issues.

Jake spoke about the impact the film has had and his experience of presenting the film in countries around the world, “I think it’s a conversation, a discussion about culture and social change. These guys [the main characters of the film] may not change the world, but they are changing their own world and I wanted to support the important activity of “Qambuta”.” Regarding the impact making the film had and becoming friends with Khader, Fadi, and Naeem, Jake replied, “They have reinstalled hope [in me].”

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Dr Nof Atamna-IsmaeelIn Focus

Dr Nof Atamna-Ismaeel, the Arab micro-biologist who won Israeli MasterChef in 2014, visited London as a guest of the UK Task Force on issues relating to Arab citizens of Israel and the New Israel Fund. She took part in the London Jewish food festival, Gefiltefest, where she gave a delicious shared society cooking workshop to over 150 people that were assembled in the JW3 auditorium.

During her visit she also met the New Israel Fund international board and spoke about the challenges of shared society in Israel. Dr Nof Atamna-Ismaeel has become a clear voice in promoting shared society in Israel since participating in the MasterChef competition and describing how food can bring together Arabs and Jews

in Israel. By using molecular gastronomy, she combines traditional Arabic dishes with Jewish dishes and bring them up to date.

In an interview to BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme she explained that she uses food to break down barriers in Israel: “When people exchange recipes, explain to each other about food they cook at home, you see immediately people are smiling and having good feeling. Taking this positive thing and giving people a chance to know you through

food is something that I always wanted to do and I see it has a lot of power of making a change in my society.”

At an event with WIZO UK, Nof spoke about her career ambitions, and the decisions that led to her changing direction from micro-biologist to chef. Following the interview she led a cookery demonstration for attendees and spoke compellingly about the Jewish-Arab culinary school and restaurant she intends to found.

Dr Atamna-Ismeel explained that as an Israeli Arab she has a complex identity that is reflected in the multicultural food she creates. She presents her unique recipes as a metaphor of her perception of Israeli shared society in which she incorporate new ingredients into classic Levantine dishes.

Interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme, she said, “This is who I am and I have many identities and I embrace them all and they can all work together to create a complex but very tasty dish – just like my identity and my personality.”

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Study Trip 2016Over twenty representatives from the British Jewish community participated in a high-level study trip in February 2016 exploring issues relating to Arab citizens of Israel in the Wadi Ara – Israel’s “Little Triangle” region. Delegates toured Kafr Qara, Baqa al-Gharbiyye, Umm el-Fahem, and Haifa, visiting projects and engaging with leading representatives within the Arab community, the public sector, and civil society spheres.

Led by Co-Chair of the UK Task Force, UJIA Chief Executive Michael Wegier, and UK Task Force Director Toni Rickenback, the delegation included senior figures in British Jewry, including religious, political, and youth leaders, as well as representatives of charitable foundations.

The 2016 trip was based in the Wadi Ara, a 20-kilometre valley

in the Haifa district of northern Israel located directly northwest of the Green Line. The Wadi Ara is mainly populated by Muslim Arab citizens of Israel, but there are also Jewish communities in the area. Participants experienced an active on-the-ground learning experience and met with a range of Israeli political and government figures, civil society representatives and academics working to reduce inequality and improve Jewish-Arab relations in Israel.

The delegation met with senior Israeli officials, including: Emi Palmor, Director-General of the Ministry of Justice; Mariam Kabaha, the National Commissioner at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Professor Sammi Samooha from Haifa University. The group learned about plans to create employment

opportunities for Arab citizens of Israel in the hi-tech industry and public sector, about educational challenges and the role of government, civil society, and communities in meeting the needs of Israeli’s Arab Citizens.

The trip was closed by David Quarrey British Ambassador to Israel, at a lunch hosted at his residency, complimenting the participants for their interest in the Israeli society.

On the impact of the study trip, Ari Jesner, Chief Executive, Office of the Chief Rabbi said, “I was deeply impressed and moved by the individuals we met, both Israeli Arabs and Jews, each in their own way working to engineer positive change. Each is a real force of nature. They have identified certain problems and have taken it upon

The next UK Task Force study trip will take place 5-9 February 2017. This coming year’s trip will be based in the Negev to learn about issues relating to Bedouin communities in the area.

Like previous UK Task Force study trips, we will meet with those working at the forefront of the issues, from government representatives and Bedouin leadership, to civil society activists and academics. We will focus on issues of education, community empowerment, and Bedouin led initiatives that address challenges in employment and Arab society. We will also investigate Jewish-Arab collaborative initiatives and partnerships for shared society that are providing new opportunities to the Bedouin community in Israel.

themselves to tackle those issues and create a better society for all Israeli citizens.”

On the impact of the study trip, Eli Gaventa, Mazkir of Sinai youth movement said, “The UK Task Force study trip was truly engaging and educational. The programming was executed flawlessly and it was a tremendous opportunity to meet so many engaging individuals and inspiring NGOs… what struck me most was the resilience many of those working to promote equality in the region.”

Study Trip 2017Looking Ahead

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Executive Committee

Our Team

Trevor Pears, CMG Executive Chair, Pears Foundation (UK Task Force Co-Chair)

Michael Wegier Chief Executive, United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA) (UK Task Force Co-Chair)

Bob Niven CBE Board Member, UK Friends of the Abraham Fund Initiatives

Phil Rosenberg Director of Public Affairs, The Board of Deputies of British Jews

Toni Rickenback Director

Dr Betty Benbenisti Programme Manager

JHub, Haskell House 152 West End Lane London NW6 1SD

+44 (0)20 7443 5133

Amy Braier Director, Pears Foundation

Adam Ognall Chief Executive, New Israel Fund UK

Roy Graham Director of Programme & Planning, United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA)

info@uktaskforce.org

@UK_TaskForce

/UKTaskForce

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UK Task Force Members

Ben-Gurion University Foundation

British Friends of Merchavim

British Friends ofOasis of Peace

Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel

The Raven Charitable

Trust

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Union of Jewish Students

The Morgan Charitable

Foundation

Annualc.indd 18 24/08/2015 11:10:41

Union of Jewish Students

Federation ofZionist Youth

Finchley Reform Synagogue Habonim Dror

LJY-Netzer

The Blue Thread

Lowy Mitchell

Foundation

The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust

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Annualc.indd 19 24/08/2015 11:10:42

UK Task Force Members

Union of Jewish Students

Federation ofZionist Youth

Finchley Reform Synagogue Habonim Dror

LJY-Netzer

The Blue Thread

Lowy Mitchell

Foundation

The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust

19

Annualc.indd 19 24/08/2015 11:10:42

Union of Jewish Students

Federation ofZionist Youth

Finchley Reform Synagogue Habonim Dror

LJY-Netzer

The Blue Thread

Lowy Mitchell

Foundation

The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust

19

Annualc.indd 19 24/08/2015 11:10:42

Union of Jewish Students

Federation ofZionist Youth

Finchley Reform Synagogue Habonim Dror

LJY-Netzer

The Blue Thread

Lowy Mitchell

Foundation

The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust

19

Annualc.indd 19 24/08/2015 11:10:42

Union of Jewish Students

Federation ofZionist Youth

Finchley Reform Synagogue Habonim Dror

LJY-Netzer

The Blue Thread

Lowy Mitchell

Foundation

The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust

19

Annualc.indd 19 24/08/2015 11:10:42

Union of Jewish Students

Federation ofZionist Youth

Finchley Reform Synagogue Habonim Dror

LJY-Netzer

The Blue Thread

Lowy Mitchell

Foundation

The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust

19

Annualc.indd 19 24/08/2015 11:10:42

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www.uktaskforce.org

If you are interested in learning more about our activities, working with us or becoming a member, please feel free to get in touch.

Further information, educational resources, updates and briefings can be found on our website.

UK TASK FORCEON ISSUES RELATING TO ARAB CITIZENS IN ISRAEL

JHub, Haskell House 152 West End Lane London NW6 1SD

+44 (0)20 7443 5133

info@uktaskforce.org

@UK_TaskForce

/UKTaskForce