1. UK TASK FORCE
ON ISSUES RELATING TO
ARAB CITIZENS IN ISRAEL
a n n u a l
r e v i e w
2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6

2. Welcome
Dear 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 Appeal
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3. Who we are
Just 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:
• Safeguard both the Jewish and democratic principles upon which Israel
was founded, in accordance with the Declaration of Independence
• Ensure a 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.
54

4. Our Approach
& Strategic Aims
Educate
to deepen
UK Jewish
understanding of
issues relating to
Israel’s Arab
citizens
Engage
to connect British
Jews with partners
in Israel and bring
UK participants
face to face with
key people and
issues during study
trips to Israel
Empower
to 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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5. 2015 Highlights 2016 Highlights
October 2015
Avirama Golan,
co-chair of Sikkuy,
discusses why Arab
citizens are needed
in Israel’s labour
market, hosted by
UJIA
January 2015
David 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 2015
UK Task Force
partners with the
British Embassy’s
UK Israel Tech
Hub and Tsofen
to host the 2nd
annual ‘ArabTech’
networking event
March 2016
Yavneh College
hosts UK Task Force
for a 10 session
series on Arab
citizens of Israel for
Year 13 students
October 2015
Immanuel College’s
Israel Society hosts
a UK Task Force
session on Arab
citizens of Israel
February 2015
Amnon 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 2015
Naomi 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 2015
UK 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 2015
Wafaa 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 2015
UK Task Force
runs educational
sessions for 6th
Formers at “Israel:
Get Connected”
event at JFS
June 2015
King Solomon High
School hosts UK
Task Force session
on Arab citizens of
Israel
April 2015
UK Task Force
runs training
session on how to
educate about Arab
citizens of Israel at
UJIA’s Israel tour
leadership training
seminar
January 2016
Hand 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 2016
Professor Ayman
Agbariah & Dr
Halelli Pinson
give a briefing on
‘The new Israeli
civics textbook
& Arab society’
at the European
Association of Israel
Studies
November 2015
Hannah 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 2016
UK Task Force
run sessions at
Scottish university
Jewish societies
in partnership with
UJS
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6. 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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7. Dr Nof Atamna-Ismaeel
In 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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8. Study Trip 2016
Over 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 2017
Looking Ahead
1514

9. 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


1716

10. UK Task Force Members
Ben-Gurion University
Foundation
British Friends of
Merchavim
British Friends of
Oasis of Peace
Liberal Democrat
Friends of Israel
The Raven
Charitable
Trust
18
Union of Jewish
Students
The Morgan
Charitable
Foundation
Union of Jewish
Students
Federation of
Zionist Youth
Finchley Reform
Synagogue
Habonim Dror
LJY-Netzer
The Blue
Thread
Lowy
Mitchell
Foundation
The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust
19
UK Task Force Members
Union of Jewish
Students
Federation of
Zionist Youth
Finchley Reform
Synagogue
LJY-Netzer
The Blue
Thread
F
The Samuel Sebba Char
Annualc.indd 19
Union of Jewish
Students
Federation of
Zionist Youth
Finchley Reform
Synagogue
Habonim Dror
LJY-Netzer
The Blue
Thread
Lowy
Mitchell
Foundation
The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust
19
Union of Jewish
Students
Federation of
Zionist Youth
Finchley Reform
Synagogue
Habonim Dror
LJY-Netzer
The Blue
Thread
Lowy
Mitchell
Foundation
The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust
19
Union of Jewish
Students
Federation of
Zionist 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 of
Zionist Youth
Finchley Reform
Synagogue
Habonim Dro
LJY-Netzer
The Blue
Thread
Lowy
Mitchell
Foundation
The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trus
1918

11. 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 FORCE
ON 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

