Government Roundtable: NGOs and the Economic Development Plan for Arab society

On July 25, the Authority for the Economic Development of the Arab Sector at the Ministry of Social Equality (“the Authority”) convened Arab mayors, the Arab Mayors Forum, and 20 leading civil society organizations for a round-table entitled: “How can we promote the optimal implementation of 922.” Government Resolution 922 is the historic Economic Development Plan for Arab Society (the Plan).

The event was focused on enhancing coordination among civil society organizations working in Israel’s Arab society towards the important role they can play in the successful implementation of the Plan.

Aiman Saif, Director of the Authority, chaired the conference and presented the responsibilities of the Authority as monitoring progress, inter-ministerial cooperation, follow up and oversight of implementation. He shared how NGOs could be helpful in supporting both effective implementation of the Plan’s programs and communicating needs and feedback from the field.

Mazen Ghanayem, Mayor of Sakhnin and Head of the Arab Mayors forum, and MK Ayman Odeh, Chairman of the Joint List, stressed the Plan’s historic significance, reiterated their commitment to its advancement and called on all stakeholders to work together. Both civil society and Arab leadership also expressed appreciation for the work of the Authority in pushing the Plan forward thus far.

Representatives of civil society organizations highlighted specific aspects of implementation that need the support of NGOs:

• Arab localities’ capacities: Arab localities are often weak and need to build professional capacities to serve as primary implementing partners for many of the Plan’s programs. In particular, localities need support with urban planning, required by many parts of the Plan. Civil society representatives also emphasize that they could play a role ensuring that these capacities would be sustained beyond the five years of the Plan.
• Relations between government and local Arab leadership: Government officials lack of experience working with Arab municipalities could lead to cultural differences and local challenges hindering Plan implementation. Civil society representatives suggested NGOs could play an important intermediary role ensuring both government officials and local leadership understand each other and are flexible enough to meet each others’ needs.
• Law Enforcement: Civil society representatives stressed that police-society cooperation was an important yet possibly under-recognized part of enhanced police services that are part of the Plan. NGO’s could play en important intermediary role supporting such cooperation.
• Receptivity and Optimism: With skepticism within Arab society about the likelihood the Plan will be realized, civil society organizations can play an important mitigating role when some programs are cut back to ensure gains are acknowledged and local leaders continue to push for implementation of as much of the plan as possible.

Beyond areas for cooperation, civil society organizations raised concerns about issues not included in the Plan. Some of these issues are: (i) health in Arab society, wherein there are gaps in the overall health of Arab citizens relative the Jewish majority (rates of diabetes, for example); (ii) emphasis on issues of gender and the particular needs and barriers related to Arab women (beyond employment integration of younger women).

Alaa Ghantous, representing the Arab Mayors Forum, shared that the Forum wishes to establish a parallel steering committee for the Plan comprised of civil society organizations, Arab mayors, and Arab Knesset Members. It was agreed that in the coming month each interested NGO will send the Arab Mayors Forum a document including its spheres of expertise and an initial work plan.