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Representatives of the American and European donors on Monday in Umm al-Fahm. (Itzik Ben-Malkhi)
Last update - 10:12 08/01/2008
Israeli Arab leaders slam boycott of visiting Jewish donors
By Yoav Stern and Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Ittijah, Islamic Movement 

Israeli Arab leaders have condemned a partially successful Arab boycott of Jewish philanthropists who are visiting the country to learn more about the problems facing Israeli Arabs.

The task force, comprised of members of about 70 Jewish organizations from North America and Europe, was set up two years ago to advance social projects and strengthen local Israeli Arab leadership.

It hopes to increase Jewish philanthropists' awareness of majority-minority relations in Israel and help them understand the problems faced by Israeli Arabs, who constitute 20 percent of the Israeli population, said task force director Jessica Balaban.
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But the group has been spurned by some of the Israeli Arabs to whom it is trying to reach out.

Ameer Makhoul, who heads Ittijah, an umbrella organization for Arab non-governmental organizations in Israel, asked Arab officials to cancel planned meetings with the group because Diaspora Jewry advocates the idea of Israel as a Jewish state, he said.

He also asked for help from Islamic Movement head Sheikh Ra'ad Salah, who pushed for the cancellation of the delegation's planned visit to an Islamic Movement pharmacy in Umm al-Fahm. In addition, other groups are also reconsidering planned meetings with the delegates, but most of the participants ignored the call to boycott the mission.

"Meeting with them means legitimizing and accepting their agenda and the framework of the State of Israel as a Jewish state," said Makhoul. "This is a multipurpose and diverse group that is trying to dictate our future."

But not all Israeli Arabs agree with Makhoul's rejection of the delegation's efforts. The delegates still have meetings and workshops scheduled to take place in the Galilee and the heavily Arab Triangle region, and are due to tour the Negev tomorrow to learn more about the Bedouin and their problems.

Shweiki Khatib, chairman of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, met with the delegates Sunday.

"We have met and will continue to meet with Jewish figures in the past, present and future," said Khatib. "We have our red lines, but we are obligated to say what we think and explain our situation to whoever wants to hear."

Amnon Be'eri-Sulitzeanu, director general of the Abraham Fund, which aims to improve coexistence between Jews and Arabs, said the boycott was self-destructive.

"If there is discrimination and inequality and a situation that needs to be fixed, then the establishment is volunteering to take real action," he said. "To oppose that is simply shooting oneself in the foot."

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      1.   Are there a lot of palestinian plastic surgeons? 06:09  |  Jon 08/01/08
      2.   Israeli Arab leaders 06:26  |  geoff 08/01/08
      3.   Well there you have it 06:33  |  Nephtaly 08/01/08
      4.   Israel is a Jewish Island (State) in an Arab Sea. 06:47  |  R 08/01/08
      5.   Love it or leave it 07:14  |  andrew 08/01/08
      6.   The Hand Should Stop Feeding Those Who Bite It 07:17  |  Yishai Kohen 08/01/08
      7.   Idiots 07:42  |  Observant Jew 08/01/08
      8.   Israel Is a Jewish State 08:00  |  Ron 08/01/08
      9.   If only Arabs helped Arabs the way Jews help them! 08:06  |  Susan 08/01/08
      10.   Arab boycott Jewish donors. 08:12  |  Sylvia 08/01/08
      11.   do they all wear thick spectacles? myopic leaders 08:20  |  victor hardman 08/01/08
      12.   stupido 08:49  |  ruti 08/01/08
      13.   Situation hopeless 09:06  |  MarkC 08/01/08
      14.   symbolic of the israeli arab`s predicament 09:25  |  matt 08/01/08
      15.   SOCIAL ACTIVISTS 09:25  |  JOJO 08/01/08
      16.   are these responses `for real` ? 09:33  |  L 08/01/08
      17.   Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people 09:42  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 08/01/08
      18.   L from Beersheva 09:49  |  Jasmine Murphy 08/01/08
      19.   At least there is some dialog happening 10:03  |  Cohen 08/01/08
      20.   #16 on "these responses" 10:06  |  Hastaroth 08/01/08
      21.   And what will a Palestinian State be? 10:35  |  Jo 08/01/08
      22.   r 4 10:52  |  realism 08/01/08
      23.   the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, (HAMC) 11:09  |  Joseph E . 08/01/08
      24.   Hope they will move to "Hamastan" 11:15  |  maurice 08/01/08
      25.   there is no understanding to be made with palestinians 11:25  |  rafi harlev 08/01/08
      26.   Making and perpetuating their own problems 11:32  |  Joseph 08/01/08
      27.   why "israeli" arabs? 11:52  |  g 08/01/08
      28.   Let them eat cake! 11:59  |  Nadav 08/01/08
      29.   Free will for all? Does Allah allow that? 12:08  |  MaryRose 08/01/08
      30.   g in france. you know nothing my friend. you watch too much 12:16  |  Valdimir Sars 08/01/08
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      32.   Almost no Israeli arab feels "Israeli"...don`t waste your time 13:28  |  Roni 08/01/08
      33.   Catch 22... 13:42  |  Teresa-Maria (Tess) 08/01/08
      34.   Oriental Israelites 13:45  |  Leo 08/01/08
      35.   The essence of the problem is the fact that the overwhelming 13:49  |  Avihu 08/01/08
      36.   OK, boycott jews, the future of Umm el Fahm is on the Pal side 14:20  |  Alain 08/01/08
      37.   But they don`t want to be part of Palestine: no money there 14:21  |  Alain 08/01/08
      38.   If Ameer Makhoul is consistent in his views 14:23  |  Larry 08/01/08
      39.   The problem is that they have no problems...Ethiopians need help 14:24  |  Alain 08/01/08
      40.   Tess on Catch 22 ....we both live in a country 14:29  |  Lynn 08/01/08
      41.   Leo in Amsterdam: Pre 1948 Arabs in Palestinian Mandate 14:35  |  Alex 08/01/08
      42.   32 - Speak for yourself 14:36  |  Yusif 08/01/08
      43.   WHY CAN`T THE ARABS TEACH THEIR CHILDREN HOW TO READ, QURAN? 14:42  |  Naji Bennaji 08/01/08
      44.   27: A jihadist speaks from France 14:56  |  David Teich 08/01/08
      45.   Leo of Amsterdam...this is not about foreigners 15:03  |  Lynn 08/01/08
      46.   Israel is a Jewish state in case you didn´t know 15:11  |  Barry 08/01/08
      47.   #40 Lynn 15:16  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/01/08
      48.   #40 Lynn 15:16  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/01/08
      49.   Arabs Turning Jews Off 15:43  |  Tex 08/01/08
      50.   Realism: Try Reality 15:51  |  Tex 08/01/08
      51.   Boycotting the group is WRONG, Idiotic & counter productive 15:55  |  Rami 08/01/08
      52.   Lintwit: Try Reading the Article 15:55  |  Tex 08/01/08
      53.   Common sense and Democracy 16:14  |  Kevin 08/01/08
      54.   End Stupid Generalization! Most Israeli Arabs Are Reasonable! 16:21  |  de d 08/01/08
      55.   Tex 16:21  |  Nik "BANNED" Miller 08/01/08
      56.   Palestine? 16:22  |  Barney Panofsky 08/01/08
      57.   Yusif and Rami, and Linthwaite 16:26  |  Nik "BANNED" Miller 08/01/08
      58.   Lynn 16:49  |  Teresa-Maria (Tess) 08/01/08
      59.   Lynn, part 2 16:53  |  Teresa-Maria (Tess) 08/01/08
      60.   Reminds me of Menachem Begin railing against German reparations 16:58  |  Tosefta 08/01/08
      61.   Tex - the moron 17:16  |  Said 08/01/08
      62.   # 44 David Teich @ Rehovot 17:21  |  Joseph E . 08/01/08
      63.   "Jewish State" a must 17:29  |  Robert 08/01/08
      64.   Arabs in Israel 17:46  |  Abe 08/01/08
      65.   Said: Is That What It Is? 17:59  |  Tex 08/01/08
      66.   @ 40 Lynn 17:59  |  Joseph E . 08/01/08
      67.   #52 Tex 18:26  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/01/08
      68.   #57 Nik Banned Miller 18:33  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/01/08
      69.   Remind me of a Ghastly Impostor and Pseudo-Intellectual #60 18:35  |  Genuine Tosefta 08/01/08
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