Annual Report

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Our Vision

Through advocacy, service provision and capacity

building, the Galilee Society facilitates the empowerment

of Palestinian citizens and strengthens civil society in

Israel. The Galilee Society has a history of collaboration

with Jewish, Arab and international organizations, both

governmental and non-governmental. The largest and

longest-standing Palestinian NGO in Israel, the Galilee

Society is known and trusted by the Palestinian community

as an organization that strives to protect minority rights,

thus promoting and strengthening democratic principles

of pluralism and equality in Israel.

Word from the Chair of the Board of

Directors and the General Director

A brief review of the activities and projects undertaken by the Galilee Society in the year 2006, a summary of which is in this report, makes us proud and delighted with the pioneering and influential role which the organization has assumed. This became particularly apparent during the recent war on Lebanon and the exposure of tens of Arab towns and villages to its direct impacts, be it through missile fire and its victims, or through material damages sustained. The Galilee Society took on its national, humanitarian and professional duty and, in cooperation with other Arab organizations, established and operated the “Ataa” Help Cen-ter, in order to offer guidance and direction in emergency situations.

The recent war on Lebanon exposed the fragility and weakness of the Arab community during emergency situations on all levels. It also revealed in sharp relief the depth and deep-rootedness of the discrimi-nation, neglect and exclusion of the Arab community concerning the policies and procedures of the Israeli establishment. Over half of Arab citizens of Israel live in the area exposed to missile fire. Despite this, they were forgotten in all media, preventative, health, educational and recre-ational services.

We took on our humble but important role during that critical period and thus carried out our duty, which is the minimum that we can do.

The important and vital projects of the other departments within the Galilee Society continued. You can find details about these in this report. Finally, we wish to state that the Galilee Society is the primary develop-mental organization working for the Palestinian community inside Israel and is in need of your moral and financial support .

We extend our enormous gratitude to all those who support and back the Galilee Society, and wish in particular to mention our donor orga-nizations and funders. We also thank the staff, members and partners of the Galilee Society, and look forward to continuing along our path of development, giving, working and innovation in the implementation of projects for the benefit of the entire Palestinian community.

Yours respectfully,

Mr. Wael Omari, Dr. Basel GhattasChair of the Board of Directors General Director

4 “Ataa” Help Center

6 The Health Rights Center

10 The Environmental Justice Center

14 Rikaz DataBank

16 The Resource Development Dept.

18 Al-Maissam

20 The Regional Research & Development Center

22 The Naqab Dept.

25 Staff

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The Galilee Society’s Response to the Israel-Hezbollah War: «Ataa» Help Center

During the summer’s military conflict in Lebanon and in Northern Israel, Hezbollah rockets fell in and near Arab villages. During hostilities, the Galilee Society observed that Arab communities in Israel suffered from the complete absence of air raid shelters, sirens, information in Arabic, and access to emergency services. The state provided no psychological or legal support for Arabic speakers despite their high concentration in war-affected areas. Arab communities were effectively abandoned by the state during the war and its aftermath.

To combat this inequality, the Galilee Society and its partners created the ‘Ataa (Arabic for “to give”) Line, a toll-free number created to provide legal and psychological support for Arabs residing in war-struck villages. Citizens could access advice simply by dialing *2231 from any phone, or on the web at www.ataa48.org.

Thanks to extensive promotion in Arab locales, the line was an immediate success, logging 2�� calls in the first three weeks alone. Two trainings, led by professional lawyers and psychologists, were conducted in early August to assure that the �7 telephone operator volunteers were qualified to offer effective support. Complicated legal or psychological problems beyond the qualifications of volunteers were relayed to a lawyer or psychologist.

Funding for the project was provided by emergency support from the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Institute. Partners in the project included Adalah, the Ahali Center, the Arab Culture Association, the Arab Psychologists Association, Ittijah, and the Medical Relief Committee.

In addition to the call center, the Galilee Society Health Rights Center in cooperation with the Arab Cultural Association and the Baladna Association held a five-day summer camp in August for children who lived in villages struck by rockets during the war. The camp provided children between the ages of 8-�4 group therapy sessions, Arab cultural events, and visits to area cultural institutions.

The camp was held to provide the children with a healthy, psychologist-supervised forum to discuss the traumatic events of the war, as well as to provide the children with a positive experience to replace the usual summer activities they had missed due to the war.

The secondary objective for the camp was to establish collaborative links between the Galilee Society and Palestinian organizations. Partners for the camp included Al Hakawati Theater Group, the Palestinian Center for Training, the Palestinian Group for Traditional Dancing, and the Al Sanabel Theater Group.

«Summer Camp for War-Affected Children»

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The Galilee Society’s Health Rights Center strives to improve the health status of the Arab minority, starting from

the principle that the consideration of the health status of society is a basic component of the developmental process. It is also a

requirement for the achievement of equal rights in health services and conditions.

The Center works according to several strategies:

�. The strengthening of health education in various areas and consolidating its impact so that it will be reflected positively on the public

health of the Arab community.

2. The development, expansion and institutionalization of the information network on the health of the Arabs in Israel as an essential foundation for

health and environmental planning.

�. The planning and implementation of direct intervention programs related to specific health issues on the basis of available information and research.

4. Wide marketing of Galilee Society publications on health issues relevant to the Arab community in Israel (a guide for female youth, breast cancer, AIDS, etc.).

Theh e a l T h R i g h T s C e n T e R

Health Rights Center Projects in 20061. The Health Education Program on HIV/AIDS

This groundbreaking project has proven to raise the level of knowledge and awareness among the various sectors of the Arab community regarding the dangers of HIV/AIDS and means of prevention.

Activities in 2006 included:

Giving more than �00 lectures on HIV/AIDS in 22 high schools and elementary schools, in addition to a series of awareness-raising lectures targeted at parents.

Conducting seven training workshops for groups of high school students on health, sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. The workshops followed the Peer Education Model, which trains young people to act as peer role models and advisors, empowering participants by providing them with health information and methods of guidance.

Issuing a pamphlet of information about HIV/AIDS and distributing it to the public, in particular to schoolchildren.

Holding a study day on HIV/AIDS for youth who attended the training workshops, in preparation for World AIDS Day, which is on �st December each year.

Conducting educational activities for World AIDS Day 2006, including student-led activities in the Ibn Sinai high school in Nahaf, and the Latin School in al-Reini.

Holding a study day on HIV/AIDS for professionals such as school principals, counselors, teachers, health educators and nurses.

Urging religious leaders in the Arab sector to take the initiative and hold discussions on HIV/AIDS at religious seminars and lessons.

Mobilizing politicians to support educational programs for HIV/AIDS prevention.

The implementation of public education media campaigns in the various media on HIV/AIDS.

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2. Project for Improving the Quality of Life of Individuals Suffering from Dia-betes and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

This project employs the strategy of capacity building among diabetes and CVD sufferers by means of guidance workshops, constructed according to the patients’ needs.

Activities in 2006 included:

Holding a number of guidance workshops for diabetics in the town of Tamra in northern Israel.

The initiation of public education media campaigns on diabetes in the Arab sector.

The expansion of the project to encompass the town of al-Tira in the central Triangle region of Israel, in cooperation with the Clalit and Maccabi health services groups and the local women’s organization, Dana.

Holding a study day on diabetes in the town of al-Tira in cooperation with project participants and the Municipality of al-Tira. Professionals in various fields in al-Tira participated in this study day as well as a large number of diabetes patients.

3. Public Capacity-Building Project

This project includes three types of intervention: the awarding of scholarships, a professional training course in the field of health promotion, and the founding of two model health consultation centers in the Arab community.

Activities in 2006 included:

The awarding of scholarships to support Arab Masters Degree students specializing in the field of health promotion. The goal is to encourage students to take the initiative to carry out public projects in their community.

A professional training program on health promotion and education was created and planned for professional teams in the fields of health and teacher training, to be carried out in 2007.

The development of a model for local health and environmental consultation centers was begun in two Arab villages that have demonstrated a willingness to participate in this project.

In addition to specific projects outlined above, the Center in 2006 routinely conducted surveys, study days, and public awareness campaigns; worked to improve health education in schools and public institutions; advocated on behalf of the Arab minority in Israel; and acted as a health watchdog to the national and local authorities. These activities make up the core program for the HRC.

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TheenviRonmenTal JusTiCe CenTeR

The Center aims to realizethe following environmental rights:

The right of the Palestinian minority in Israel to clean, unpolluted air, water and land which is free of toxic substances;

The right of the Palestinian minority in Israel to live in a sound environment and to combat environmental problems which harm their health and environment.

To work towards putting an end to the environmental injustice afflicting Arab citizens, and achieving the principle of environmental justice;

The right of the Palestinian minority in Israel to freedom of access to information relating to natural and planning resources, as well as environmental problems.

Environmental Justice CenterProjects in 2006

�. Advocacy and Legal ActionIn order to realize the environmental rights of the Arab Palestinian community, the Environmental Justice Center has taken on the following legal advocacy actions:

Air pollution: The Center’s work in the field of air pollution pivots on legal defense and preventing the construction or clustering of factories and polluting industries in the vicinity of Arab towns and villages. For example, the Center initiated a campaign against a plan to construct an incinerator in the town of Shefa-Amr, which was to burn solid waste for the generation of energy. The Center sent a letter to the Ministry for Environmental Protection and to the Northern Planning and Building Committee, demanding the cancellation of the plan on the basis of the principle of environmental justice. After the letter was sent, the Ministry of Environmental Protection announced its opposition to the plan, which was then cancelled. In addition, the Environmental Justice Center organized a campaign against the construction of an incinerator in Ibillin.

In terms of its activities, the Center works to provide financial and professional resources to combat and address the following environmental hazards:

�. The absence of appropriate environmental infrastructure in the Palestinian community;

2. The dangerous lack of sewage systems;

�. The spread of numerous environmental problems near Arab towns and villages, such as stone quarries or illegal dumping sites.

The Center also endeavors to develop and strengthen Arab public awareness of the importance of protecting and improving the state of the environment.

The Environmental Justice Center has a clear goal: the development of the values of justice and the realization of individual and collective rights as they pertain to the environmental and health conditions of Palestinian citizens in Israel. The Center strives to achieve equal environmental conditions for these citizens through employing a number of strategies to raise public awareness and promote environmental justice.

Environmental conditions do not relate only to the physical surroundings of an individual or community. They also constitute the social, psychological and aesthetic aspects that contribute to a healthy environment. This more holistic view of a person’s or community’s environment guides the Environmental Justice Center.

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Sewage: During 2006, the Center drew attention to the lack of environmental infrastructure in Arab towns and villages and particularly of sewage networks. The Center’s work in this field encompassed the village of Kseife in the Naqab, the village of Majd al-Krum, Arrabe and Beit Jan in the north, and the town of Taybeh in the center of the country.

Illegal Waste Sites: In 2006, the Environmental Justice Center also began to challenge the incidence of illegal garbage dumps near Palestinian towns and villages. As a first step, the Center issued warning letters to the Dabouriya Local Authority, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Health, demanding that they immediately work both together and individually to remove all the illegal waste outlets located close to the northern neighborhood of the village of Dabouriya.

Asbestos: In the area of educational and environmental rights, the Center worked toward providing school children in Arab towns and villages with a sound, non-harmful environment at school. In particular, the Center strove to combat the presence of asbestos in schools. Research has proven asbestos to be an extremely toxic and carcinogenic substance, one which legally cannot be used in buildings, especially in schools. One of the Center’s major achievements in 2006 was the removal of asbestos ceilings in the

Salam School in the village of Majd al-Krum and in Tel Kseife elementary school in Naqab.

Pesticides: It was brought to the Center’s attention that individuals and workers from the community village (kibbutz) of Adamit in the western Galilee were spraying dangerous toxic pesticides on agricultural lands belonging to the village Arab al-Aramshe at its northern border, which are located at a distance of mere meters from Arab residential houses. As a result, the Center sent a letter of complaint and warning to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Mati Asher Regional Council, against kibbutz Adamit.

The “Green Line”: The Center set up the “Green Line”, a call center which receives complaints and inquiries from the public regarding environmental problems. The Green Line is the first hotline/call center of its kind for Arab citizens in Israel. The Green Line is resultant from a rise in the number of complaints from Arab citizens in Israel due to an increase in environmental problems in Arab towns and villages, and from the absence of any official or unofficial service in the Arabic language.

Giving tens of Lectures organized in Arab schools on various environmental issues.

The activation of the Student Grants Program: This project aims to increase and strengthen environmental awareness in the Arab community, by supporting students who are active in their environment and community. The grants program encourages future generations to recognize the importance of the environment and environmental rights.

The organization of Study Days on environmental subjects: In particular, a study day was held on the subject of environmental discrimination and Arab Palestinian community in Israel. The day served as a forum to present findings from a study entitled, “Environmental Justice: The Case of Stone Quarries”, prepared by the Environmental Justice Center in cooperation with the Jerusalem Research Institute. The study addresses the planning and construction of stone quarries near Arab villages in Israel. It draws attention to the socio-economic characteristics of the population suffering from the hazardous effects of living close to stone quarries, from the perspective of environmental justice.

2. Environmental Education and Awareness Raising

The Environmental Justice Center continued to educate and raise awareness among the Arab Palestinian community regarding various environmental issues, which included:

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Rikaz Projects in 2006

1. Community SurveyGiven the importance of up-to-date and comprehensive statistical information and to complement the 2004 Socio-Economic survey, Rikaz Databank implemented a major survey of Arab communities in Israel in 2006. The availability of this information represents a fundamental step toward the development of municipalities and provides researchers and decision makers with the means to study the distribution of financial and human resources.

The research questionnaire, developed by a steering committee consisting of academics, statistical experts and local authorities, covers the following categories:

local authority characteristics and needs;

the allocation of land in towns, their jurisdictional areas and land confiscation;

the structural organization of towns and their strategic plans;

buildings and residential units;

governmental and public services.

In addition, the survey collected information regarding the health, environment, education and culture sectors, as well as data associated

RikazDaTabankfor the Palestinian Minority in Israel

with infrastructure, and religious and historical sites.

2. Survey on the Impact ofThe Israel-Hezbollah War onArab Communities in Israel

The goal of this study was to document and monitor the impacts of the Israeli attack on Lebanon (July 2006) on the Palestinian community in Israel in a number of areas. The most significant areas impacted were psychological damage, material damage, the provision of governmental services and the conduct of the local and national Arab leadership. The project also confronted the lack of basic services provided to the Arab community in Israel, to ensure its physical and psychological welfare in emergency situations.

Rikaz Databank cooperated with the Galilee Society-initiated “Ataa” Help Center in the implementation of two research surveys on the impacts of the war. The first questionnaire was designated for Arab local authorities, and the second for families which sustained material damage due to the war.

3. Internal Cooperation and Networking Rikaz provided the necessary services and statistical analyses to the professional departments within the Galilee Society. Thus, the department worked on analyzing the statistical information gathered through the HIV/AIDS and Diabetes projects.

4. Updating RikazIn the ongoing effort to update data on the Rikaz Databank website, statistics from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics and the Labor Force survey were added for the year 200�, in addition to the existing data from ���8 onwards.

5. Cooperation with Palestinain Central Bureau of StatisticsRikaz once again prepared a special chapter on the Palestinians in Israel published in the annual Statistical Abstract of Palestine issued by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.

6. Website MaintenanceRikaz continues to develop and maintain the English and Arabic versions of the Galilee Society website.

www.rikaz.org

Rikaz was born of the need for reliable and comprehensive information on the status and specific needs of the Palestinian community in Israel.

Its aim is to facilitate applied socio-economic research, development and advocacy work for the benefit of, and to empower, the

Palestinian minority in Israel. Rikaz serves to draw the attention of the public, NGOs, decision makers and the authorities to

disparities between Palestinian and Jewish living standards and thereby help to bridge a disconcerting information

gap. A comprehensive computerized information system, Rikaz collects and analyzes extensive data relating

to this population group, providing free, reliable and up-to-date information on the Internet

(www.rikaz.org) for a variety of audiences.

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The Resource Development Department manages the Galilee Society’s relationships with its foreign donors and serves the organization in many ways. It operates primarily in English and is responsible for fundraising, including work with the Friends of the Galilee Society in the US; donor reporting; the bi-monthly newsletter sent to over 2,000 recipients worldwide; website updates and Annual Reports.

International Relations

• The Friends of the Galilee Society (FGS) in the US gained its �0�(c)� status. The New York-based Coordinator worked with the Board to strengthen the network of contacts and friends among the Arab communities in the US. Together with general communication, this included participation in the Friends of Nazareth conference in Las Vegas during February.• The Galilee Society’s Chair of the Board Mr. Wael Omary & General Director, Dr Basel Ghattas, visited the US during the summer, in order to meet with the FGS Board and plan for the coming year. During his tour, Dr Ghattas raised $�,000 for the FGS.• Dr. Ghattas & Dr. Yazbak attended the Doha conference 24-2� April.• The Newsletter, with comprehensive articles and news on the Galilee Society’s activities, was published six times during 2006 and sent to more than 2,000 recipients across the world.

Internal Staffing and Capacity Building

• Felice Nassar, Resource Development Director, was on maternity leave for 6 months during 2006. During that time, the department was staffed by long-standing interns, Jamie Mandell from the US and Jenny Nyman from Finland. • Over the course of the year, the department also gained a new intern, Chris Sutton from the US, whose internshipcontinues through 2007.

The ResouRCe DevelopmenT DepaRTmenT

ACSUR Las Segovias

Church of Scotland

Ford Foundation

Healing Across the Divides

ICCO (Interchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation)

Lisa and Maury Friedman Foundation

Marc Rich Foundation

Misereor

Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation

Open Society Institute

Shefa Amr Municipality, Kefr Kana Council, Government Ministries.

Individuals

Fundraising and Donor Relations

• An emergency fundraising campaign was conducted to establish “Ataa” Help Center for Palestinian citizens of Israel who were victims of the Israel-Hezbollah war in the summer. More than $86,000 was raised.• The department successfully managed the first year relationship with Misereor, the overseas development agency of the Catholic Church, securing an increased grant from Misereor for the Environmental Justice Center for 2007.• The second year of the three year grant from ACSUR Las Segovias was completed effectively. This grant comes from the Spanish Cooperation, the government department that funds overseas development projects. It supports the Galilee Society’s projects working with Bedouin women and children in the Naqab.• A significant number of tailored proposals were sent to foundations and personal contacts for the General Program as well as individual projects. • All project and program reporting was carried out according to the agreements with donor organizations.

In 2006, the Department achieved many successes for The GalileeSociety, including:

The first ever grant from the European Union. The grant spans 2 years and is for Rikaz Databank and its socio-economic research and advocacy trainings for Palestinians in Israel.

A new grant that allows the Galilee Society to restart its Breast Cancer project. The grant comes from the American foundation, Susan G Komen for the Cure.

Attainment of the �0�(c)� status for the Friends of the Galilee Society in the US, which allows the organization to receive donations and grants tax-free under US law.

Donors to the Galilee Society in 2006

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In 2006, the Al-Maissam Center continued its basic activities, which focus on the revival of the Arab folk heritage, protecting medicinal plants species, educating the local public on the uses of traditional medicinal plants, and offering guidance to students from educational institutes for their research in environment, biology, chemistry and medicinal herbs.

The Center saw an increase in the number of visitors from previous years, with close to 8,000 visiting students. The overall activities of the Center can be summarized according to the following classifications:

1. Day VisitsVisiting students gain knowledge of the Center’s activities, starting with the greenhouse and its medicinal plants. They then continue to the educational stations on bees and organic fertilizers, where they see compost and algae. Finally they move on to the performance of research activities, the development of natural products and the cultivation of medicinal herbs. The number of day visitors reached close to �,�00 students in 2006.

2. The Young Researcher’s ProgramThe young researcher’s program is comprised of ten meetings, during which the student becomes familiar with various kinds of academic research. Each group, composed of between two and three students, conducts research under the supervision and guidance of the Al-Maissam Center guides. More than 270 students from the fifth to ninth grades participated in this program in 2006.

al-maissamThe Medicinal Plant Center for Research and Education

3. Final Assignments ProgramThe Center provided its guidance services to high school students in order to assist them in completing their final assignments in the subjects of the environment, biology, chemistry, and herbal medicine. These assignments constitute units that contribute toward the students’ final examination and graduation from school. Al-Maissam also provided these services to engineering students in colleges and institutes of higher education in order to help them to complete their final projects. The total number of high school students that participated in the preparation of assignments was 62�. The number of students studying at institutes of higher education who participated in the preparation of final assignments was �2.

4. Public LecturesDr. Omar Said, the Director of the Al-Maissam Center, with the assistance of the Al-Maissam team, gave more than 2� public lectures in approximately �0 different villages and towns throughout the country.

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مركز األبحاث والتطوير املنطقي

The research activitiesor 2006 included the continuationof research projects in the following areas:

Health and Medicinal Plants Projects

• Local medicinal plants and their uses in traditional Arab medicine.• Medicinal herbs for medical treatments.• A study of diseases of the liver and the skin.

Agricultural and Environmental Projects

• The removal of refractory and toxic compounds from agricultural and industrial waste water.• The development of fertilizers from animal waste and plants.• The reduction of the damaging environmental impact of waste water from olive presses in the Middle East.• Photochatalysis oxidation – an assisting process in the treatment of refractory effluents.

In addition to these projects, which are ongoing from previous years, the Center took on two newly supported research

projects, which are:• A project to investigate the possibility of developing a

botanical treatment for acne, carried out by Dr. Bashar Saad.

• The treatment of olive mill water waste and solid waste using biological methods to produce an organic

fertilizer, carried out by Dr. Isam Sabbah. The latter project is funded by United States Agency

for International Development (USAID) to the sum of USD 200,000 over a period of

two years. This is a joint research project with the Hebron University (HU), the

Royal Scientific Society of Jordan (RSS) and the Newe Ya’ar

Organization (ARO).

Reports

The Center’s researchers presented the following peer-reviewed papers and lectures: �. A lecture on the activities of the Research & Development Center presented by Dr. Isam Sabbah during a study day by the “Qandeel” institution which was held in Nazareth on 6 May 2006.2. A lecture on 2� May 2006 presented before a meeting of the administrative committee of the BARD fund by Dr. Isam Sabbah.�. A lecture and poster presented at an international conference on medicinal herbs in Tunis, Tunisia. The presentation was given by Dr. Hassan Azaizeh and Dr. Omar Said in June 2006.4. A lecture on the effect of bacteria immobilization on the rate of biodegradation of Phenol at high concentration in waste water, presented by Mr. Nidal Massalha at the yearly conference of the Israeli Society for the Environment in June 2006 in Haifa.�. A lecture on the removal of selenium from waste

water given by Dr. Hassan Azaizeh at a workshop in Spain on 22 June 2006.6. A lecture of removing difficult materials through advanced biological methods, given by Dr. Isam Sabbah at a conference held in Italy on � October 2006.7. A lecture on the production of bio-gas from agricultural material waste presented by Dr. Hassan Azaizeh at an international scientific conference held in Amman, Jordan in October 2006.8. A lecture given during a workshop on the treatment of waste water using simple methods given by Dr. Isam Sabbah at the Technion, Haifa in November 2006.�. A lecture on the engineering and economic aspects of treating waste water in the Arab rural sector, presented by Dr. Isam Sabbah during a

conference which was held in Sakhnin as part of the LIFE poject on 20 November 2006.

In addition to these lectures and conference presentations, the Center published �� peer-reviewed scientific papers in international journals, as well as a several articles published in local journals in the Arabic language.

Writing Research Proposals

The Center’s researchers wrote more than 2� research proposals, which were submitted to local and international funders.

Thus far, the Center has gained funding for four research projects, two from local funders (the Ministry of Science and Technology) and two from international funders (two German funds: BIODIAK and BMBF). The research projects were approved in the sum of � million New Israeli Shekels over a period of three years. Work on these research projects will commence in the middle of 2007.

TheRegional ReseaRCh & DevelopmenT CenTeR

20 2�

The Bedouins of the Naqab (Negev) desert, and particularly those residing in the unrecognized villages, constitute the most disadvantaged among the Arab minority in Israel. The Galilee Society Naqab Department therefore works to improve the general situation of this group, through empowering the local community, and women in particular, to actively further their own development, as well as through various advocacy and lobbying efforts.

2006 saw the second year of its three-year grant from ACSUR, the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation, and the Naqab Department achieved significant progress in its program to strengthen health and education initiatives in the Bedouin unrecognized villages of the Naqab.

The naqabDepaRTmenT

Public Health Days: Similarly, the Galilee Society’s Awareness Raising Campaigns in the Naqab have continued with campaigns focusing on breast cancer as well as household accidents. Two Public Health Days and one Study Day dealing with the various health and environmental issues affecting the Naqab Bedouin were held in 2006.

Women’s Health Education: During 2006, 2�8 Bedouin women from �4 unrecognized villages have attended Naqab Department courses intended to raise awareness on issues such as breast cancer, household accidents, nutrition, and other subjects.

Women’s Leadership Courses: The Women’s Leadership Courses have trained ��� women from various unrecognized villages in the Naqab in 2006. This course takes the above health education course a step further and includes education on the human body, pregnancy, stages of fetal development, breast cancer early detection, good nutrition, household accidents (prevention and treatment) and First Aid.

First Aid for Daycare Teachers: Also in 2006, the Naqab department organized two courses in First Aid for 28 daycare teachers. In addition to First Aid education these courses included some general information on health awareness. Participants who passed a final exam were presented with a certificate from the Al-alfiya Center (recognized by the Ministry of Health and Education).

Advocacy and PublicAwareness Initiatives

One of the Galilee Society goals for 2006 was to expand legal advocacy efforts to healthcare rights and to the Naqab region. In particular, the EJC has been involved in the struggle to compel the government to resolve a serious sewage problem in the Naqab village of Kseife. The Ministry of Environment reacted quickly to an EJC pre-petition to pump the sewage out of the village and into an isolated cesspool. In addition, Naqab Depart-ment fought a campaign to pressure the Ministries of Health, Education and Environment to replace the roof of Tel Kseife elementary school, which was infested with asbestos. The Ministry of Education responded to the Galilee Society’s intervention by allotting 200,000 NIS to removing the asbestos and building six new classrooms. Early in 2006 the asbestos was completely removed, and the Naqab Department will continue to monitor the construc-tion of the new classrooms.

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Special Training Programs

Youth-to-Youth: Stewards of Health and the Environment: Through this project, �� young members of the Bedouin community were brought together for a training course concerning various health and environmental issues, which they then used to raise awareness among their peers in the local community through a variety of projects and activities. In 2006, the students arranged a health day at Abu Bakr Primary School during which they discussed a variety of health and environmental problems.

Special Needs Education Courses for Bedouin: In the Naqab Department’s ongoing efforts to improve services to Arab-speaking residents with special needs, it has successfully lobbied the state to offer Psychology and Special Needs education courses in Arabic at the Open University in Beer El Sabé (Beer Sheva). This program marks the first time many of these courses have been offered in Arabic at the University and is in line with the Naqab Department’s goal of launching health advocacy and outreach initiatives to secure rights and services for the Arab Bedouin community in the Naqab.

PublicationsDuring 2006, the Naqab Department produced five different pamphlets promoting the use of local plants in improving the health of the Naqab Bedouin. These publications, which aim to present healthy, local, traditional plants scientifically in order to combat the trend of increased consumption of processed foods by Bedouin, are being distributed to up to �,000 members of the targeted groups, especially women and educators involved in the Naqab Department’s early childhood and health education programs and patients at the mobile health clinic.

Organizational Publicity

An event was held in Beer El Sabe’ (Beer Sheva) to recognize Naqab Department supporters and funders, to acknowledge accomplishments, and to promote activities in the media. More than 200 dignitaries, supporters and media attended the Naqab Department’s celebration of �� years of service to Palestinian Bedouins from the Naqab on November 2� Representatives from the local media covered the event for radio, print, and television, and The Galilee Society General Director Dr. Ghattas was i n t e r v i e w e d for a local r a d i o s t a t i o n .

sTaff

Board of Directors

j Mr. Wael Omari,Chair

j Mr. Abed Msalha,Deputy Chairperson

j Ms. Souad Diab

j Dr. Walid Kaddan

j Dr. Abdallah Shahin

j Dr. Ilyad Jahshan

j Ms. Rosland Daem

General Director

j Dr. Basel Ghattas

General Program Director

j Mohammed Khatib

j Dr. Naim Karim(from November 2006)

Library

j Reema HayekLibrarian and Assistant to the General Director

Financial Department

j Suheir Hanna-Armali,CPA and Director

Environmental Justice Center

j Shadi AzzamLawyer

j Naim DaoudEnvironmental Planner

Rikaz Databank

j Ahmad Sheikh MuhammadDirector & Developer

j Aid RohanaStatistician

Health Rights Center

j Hannan Mannaa Director

Resource Development Dept.

j Felice NassarDirector

j Jenny Nyman

j Jamie Mandell

j Chris SuttonInstitutional Support

j Entissar Shlewett,Administrative Assistant

Naqab Department

j Adnan Sa’id,Naqab Dept. Director

j Dr. Salem SaneStrategic Program

j Mona Abu Ghalyun

j Kholod Al AssadAdministrative

j Maher Abu-RateweshMobile Clinic Driver

R&D Center.

j Dr. Isam SabbahScientific Director

j Dr. Sobhi BasheerSenior Researcher

j Dr. Hassan AzaizehSenior Researcher

j Dr. Ahmad YazbikSenior Researcher

j Prof. Bashar SaadSenior Researcher

j Dr. Basel GhattasSenior Researcher

j Dr. Jeries JadounSenior Researcher

j Prof. Abdalla Bowirrat Senior Researcher

j Ahlam HayekLab Technician

j Bernadette Abu AttaResearch Assistant

j Nidal MasalhaResearch Student

j Bahaa HadiaResearch Student

j Kler TawafsheAdministrative Assistant

Al-Maissam

j Dr. Omar SaidDirector

j Iman SaidGuide

j Hisham ShahinGuide

j Assad Dhamshi,Administrative Assistant

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