A study set for release today (21 January 2010) portrays the complicated view Israeli Arabs have of the police and its role in patrolling their communities.

According to the paper, which was compiled by the Abraham Fund Initiatives, some 77 percent of Israeli Arabs believe the police give preferential treatment to Jews, while some 60% say they are not wiling to give up the protection offered by the police presence in their community.

The study, which was compiled through a survey of over 1,000 Israeli Arabs, also states that 62% of Arab citizens support greater police recruitment in their community to help solve what residents view as shortcomings in community policing in their sector. In particular, they reported what they see as “under-policing,” in that police show insufficient vigilance in responding to crime in their towns, in contrast to the “over-policing” of Arab citizens outside their communities when Jewish Israelis were effected.

The report, which used research carried out by two professors at the Ben-Gurion University in the Negev, will be presented at the Jaffa Conference on Thursday, January 21, during a session entitled “Future relations between Jews and Arabs – Arab society and the police in Israel.”

The study was carried out as part of a joint project between the Abraham Fund Initiatives and the Israeli police called the “Arab society-Police relations” initiative, founded as a result of the October 2000 riots and the Orr Commission Report, to foster better relation between the police and the Arab community.

Amnon Be’eri-Sulitzeanu, co-director of the Abraham Fund Initiatives, said Wednesday that police have made concerted efforts in recent years to improve relations with Israel’s Arab community, adding “these efforts derive from a true understanding within the police leadership that the Arab minority deserves better policing services.”

See the online article in JPost here

The UK Task Force on Arab Citizens of Israel (of which TAFI UK sits on the Executive Committee), recently established by some of British Jewry’s leading organisations, aims to increase the Jewish community’s understanding of, and engagement with, Israel’s Arab population.

Based in West Hampstead, the coordinator will build the Task Force as a new coalition, act as its professional secretariat and utilise their expertise to stimulate new ideas and connections. Responsibilities will include developing and implementing the strategy, preparing briefings and presentations and managing the budget.

The ideal candidate will have at least three years’ relevant professional work experience and an understanding of the Jewish community and Israeli society. Salary commensurate with skills, knowledge and experience.

Download a full job description and application form

Deadline for applications: 31st January 2010. Interviews will be held on Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th February 2010.

The Abraham Fund’s first-ever GLOBAL ONLINE BENEFIT event will take place on Wednesday, December 9th, 17 00 GMT. At a time when organizational resources must be maximized The Abraham Fund has turned to new media to bring our message to a global audience through a webcast highlighting our work in Israel to advance coexistence between Arab and Jewish citizens. Anyone with a computer and access to the web will be able to log in.  Viewers will be taken virtually to see Jews and Arabs working side by side to transform the landscape of Jewish-Arab relations and build a more secure Israel for its entire people. Thanks to the generosity of our Benefit patrons, we’re offering free online access to those who sign up in advance. Register through the link below, and pass on the good word to your friends.

REGISTER FOR THE ABRAHAM FUND’S DECEMBER 9TH GLOBAL WEBCAST: CLICK HERE

A little bleary-eyed today, after a late night journey back from the wonderful Corpus Christi College, Oxford. We showed the documentary Bridge over the Wadi to about a dozen students. The film (as the discussion showed) had a great impact. Looking forward to spending more time in Oxford over the next few years, and to getting students involved who want to help solve Israel’s problems.

Laurie Scher

A well written article about Israeli budgets recently appeared on the Jewish Labour Movement’s website, courtesy of Judith Bara, who has kindly given us permission to reprint it here:

The first major budget presented by the Netanyahu coalition in July has, according to a press release by the Mossawa advocacy organisation in Haifa, shown extensive discrimination against Israel’s Arab citizens.

In its planned spending for 2009-10, the government seeks to cut local authority grants by about 25%. This means that councils representing Israeli Arab communities, often among the poorest in the country, will lose some 250 million shekels, leading at least thirty of them into severe financial crisis. These cuts are reflected across the major public services, including transport, planning and development, the latter having been cut from 130 million shekels in 2008 to 69 million for the next year.  All of this compounds the adverse situation in which many of these localities already find themselves.

Let us remember that these cuts are not directed at Palestinians in the occupied territories but undermine further the economic and social base of Israel’s Arab citizens, and possibly their support, however grudging, for the peace process. This is not a situation where West Bank settlers are infringing the rights of communities who happen to have the misfortune to reside in areas where further settlements are planned. It is of direct consequence to citizens of the State of Israel who might reasonably expect some degree of support for their communities.

Furthermore, in terms of equal treatment of minority communities, the budget appears to differentiate among Arab towns and localities.  It seems that more affluent municipalities which might be seen as useful tourist locations, such as Nazareth, have fared better!  What would the Israeli government have to say if Jewish communities in other countries received less in terms of central government grants than their gentile neighbours – unless of course they could be seen as good contributors to international trade?

The original article can be found here

Netanyahu’s  government has just been announced, and The Abraham Fund Initiatives sees grounds for optimism in the appointment of Labour’s Avishai Braverman as Minister-without-Portfolio for minorities. The Jerusalem Post published TAFI Israel’s statement, which reads as follows:

“There is a necessity for courageous dialogue between the government and the Arab leadership”

The Abraham Fund Initiatives, an organization promoting social inclusion and equality between Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens, commends the appointment of Avishai Braverman as Minister-without-Portfolio for minorities.  The Abraham Fund expresses hope that the appointment will mark a shift in the state’s relations towards its Arab citizens.

The Abraham Fund hopes that Braverman’s balanced views coupled with his economic experience and knowledge of the Negev will help him in facing the great challenges ahead.

At the top of Braverman’s agenda are the need for courageous dialogue between the government and the Arab leadership; advancement of equitable budgetary allocations; integration of the Arab population into the Israeli economy and work force, especially university graduates and Arab women; fair representation of the Arab population in the civil service; advancement of solutions to the distress of the Bedouin community in the Negev and the struggle against racism toward Israel’s Arab citizens.

With Israel’s 60th anniversary nearly with us, it’s worth recalling what the work of The Abraham Fund Initiatives (“TAFI”) is all about.

is a non-partisan, non-profit organization, working to advance coexistence and equality among Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens.  By promoting policies based on innovative social models, conducting large-scale initiatives, advocacy and public education, The Abraham Fund promotes its vision of shared citizenship and equal opportunity for all of Israel’s citizens.  A pioneer in this work, The Abraham Fund Initiatives serves as a central resource for coexistence professionals in Israel and worldwide.
The Abraham Fund sees civic equality among Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens as a moral and pragmatic imperative, within which individual rights as well as the political, cultural and religious character of each community must be clearly and unambiguously recognized and respected.
Since its establishment in 1989, The Abraham Fund has been a leading advocate for coexistence and equality among Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens. With the help of its friends and partners around the world, The Abraham Fund is transforming the landscape of Jewish-Arab relations, steadfastly pursuing its goal of a cohesive, secure and just Israel for the benefit of all its people.

These are goals and principles worth fighting for!

Best regards

Laurie Kaye

Chair, UK Friends of The Abraham Fund Initiatives