Press

OPED: Israel-Diaspora Partnering for Shared Society

Friends of Givat Haviva Executive Director Jonathan Lack, in his Times of Israel oped, urges Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel, and American Jews, to work together with to build a shared society.

Feature Story: Jenan Halabi Profile

Working with Jewish and Arab teenagers at Givat Haviva, Jenan Halabi has come to see photography as more than a skill or an art, but as a tool to open conversations about identity, belonging, and shared life—especially in moments when words fall short. “At first I came as a photography teacher, and from there I developed into something completely different,” Halabi says.

Herzog: Violent crime in Arab society a ‘national challenge,’ with inequality to blame

“Arab citizens of Israel are the flesh and blood of Israeli society,” President Isaac Herzog said in his address to the Givat Haviva conference on shared society. “They obviously deserve, by right and not by kindness, equality in the full sense of the word.” The president said that the absence of equality in Israel not only drives the burgeoning violence in Arab society, but also is to blame for a “missed opportunity on a historic scale.” “Arab society is perhaps the resource with the greatest potential, but on the other hand is the most unfulfilled, of the State of Israel,” Herzog said. “The issue of crime, delinquency and the loss of personal security in Arab society in Israel is a national challenge in every sense,” he said. The issue should be “occupying the thoughts” of Israel’s politicians day-to-day as a top priority. “The responsibility [for the issue] of the communities and Arab society itself of course has its place, but there is no replacement for the responsibility of the state.”

Arab Party Leaders Call to Form Joint List, Oust Netanyahu 'With Our Own Hands'

Two Arab party leaders, MK Ayman Odeh and MK Mansour Abbas, in their addresses to the annual Givat Haviva Conference on shared society, urged all Arab parties to unite ahead of the next election. “I call on the UAL, Balad and Hadash, let’s all unite,” said Hadash-Ta’al leader Odeh. “Let’s bring 17 seats and ensure with our own hands that Netanyahu is not elected again, and prevent Ben-Gvir and Smotrich from staying in office.” Odeh, who said he will not run in the next election,” said that “the struggle must be a general struggle of all citizens about the way we want to live in a democratic society.” Abbas, head of the United Arab List, who was the first Arab MK to serve in a governing coalition, called on the Arab parties to unite. “Those who want to join the coalition are welcome, and those who want to be a blocking bloc in the opposition , so be it.” Abbas also announced at the Givat Haviva conference that Jews conference that Jews will be able to run on the party’s list.

'Remove Netanyahu': MK Odeh calls all Arab parties to unite before elections

Hadash-Ta’al party leader MK Ayman Odeh, addressing the annul Givat Haviva Conference for a Shared Society, called on all Arab parties to unite ahead of the next elections. “Let us unite, all of us. Let us bring 17 mandates,” he said. “We just do everything, absolutely everything, to remove Netahnayhu,” Odeh emphasized. “The central struggle is over Israeli democracy as a whole, for all citizens, Jews and Arabs alike. This cannot be a sectoral struggle, but rather a struggle to build a true democracy,” he added. President Isaac Herzog spoke at the Conference for a Shared Society as well on Sunday, which was attended by members of Knesset, and called for unity between Jews and Arabs, specifically after the war. “Arab citizens of Israel are an integral part of Israeli society, and the State of Israel, and they are entitled, plainly, as a matter of right and not charity, to equality in the fullest sense of the word,” Herzog said. He added, “The lack of equality in Israel is a driver not only of the national challenge I spoke about, but also of a missed opportunity on a historic scale. Arab society may be the resource with the greatest potential, and at the same time the most underutilized, of the State of Israel.”

Erosion of Trust and Rising Pessimism: 76% of Young Arabs Feel Less Personal Security

54% of Arabs trust Jews, compared with just 26% of Jews who trust Arabs, Davar reports on the new Givat Haviva survey of Arab and Jewish citizens that was presented at the annual Givat Haviva conference for a shared society on January 6. The attitude gap is also reflected in willingness for social relationships: 31% of Jews are open to friendships with Arabs, while 69% of Arabs are open to friendships with Jews. The situation improves somewhat in professional settings: 58% of Jews and 81% of Arabs are willing to work in a shared workplace, and 51% of Jews and 80% of Arabs are willing to study together at university. “There is erosion of trust and rising pessimism,” said Prof. Mona Maron, Rector of the University of Haifa, who spoke at the conference. “Arabs want partnership; Jews are less willing. It’s difficult to talk about partnership under these conditions.”