November 16, 2015

Media campaigns aim to restore Jewish-Arab relations in Israel

A number of civil society and media organizations recently launched media campaigns targeting the escalation of fear and mistrust between Jewish and Arab citizens as a result of recent escalations. Many of these focus on humanizing the ‘other’ and surfacing moderate voices committed to peace and coexistence.

Bokra.net

Bokra.net, a leading Arab language news portal broadcasting out of Nazareth. launched a nation-wide campaign titled: “Talking about Shared Living”, that includes billboards, ads, a dedicated Facebook page, online interviews with Jewish and Arab youth and community leaders, a video with religious leaders, and a call to sign a social contract called “Sharing the Same Fate”  The major focus of this campaign has been Arab society – as most materials are published in Arabic – aiming to enhance a more tolerant and introspective discourse. It has been successful in sparking conversation and internal debate.

Israeli-Arab campaign to calm situation sparks internal debateJerusalem Post – Ariel Ben Solomon – 10.30.15

Social TV’s “100 Voices” Campaign

Social TV, a non-profit independent media organization promoting social change, recently launched an initiative that aims to combat ignorance and fear of Arabs in Jewish-Israeli society by video interviewing 100 Arab citizens of Israel and distributing them online. According to e campaign’s rationale: “Jewish citizens hardly know the Palestinian citizens of Israel. For many the Arabic language is the language of the enemy. There are hardly any Arabs on TV, and when there are they are generally in the news on security issues. There are almost no opportunities to meet a Palestinians and all of this before we even talk about the escalation of violence recently. The truth is we simply do not know one another! And this must change.”

Sikkuy – campaing against firing Arab employees

Following an earlier campaign against the firing of Arab employees as a consequence of recent tensions (at the time targeting then-Minister of Economy Arieh Der’i) Sikkuy more recently produced a video staring renowned singer and actress Amal Murkus, titled “Politically-Motivated Dismissals Threaten our Joint Future.” Amal, speaking alternately in Arabic and Hebrew explains why such dismissals are both illegal and dangerous for the future of all citizens of Israel, encouraging Arab citizens who experiences such dismissals, or even a threat of dismissal due to political or ethnic affiliations to approach the relevant institutions for assistance.

As tensions run high, Arab workers pay the price – +972 Magazine – Maha Shehade Switat – 11.5.15

 

One Muslim Righteous Among the Nations a Day

Muhammad Younes, Director of an Arab organization called Ofakim-Afak for Peace and Coexistence, has been posting the name and stories of Muslims who helped Jews survive the Holocaust (many of whom were recognized by Yad Vashem as part of their Righteous Among the Nations list) on his widely followed Facebook page. In an interview of IDF Radio Younes stated that this was his counter-campaign to PM Netanyahu’s “Mufti speech” a few weeks ago, in an efforts to show that Muslims also participated in saving Jews, and with a view of promoting Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel. His posts have already told the stories of Muslims from Serbia, Sarajevo, Turkey Albania and many more – who often acted with great personal risk and at times paid with their lives. His website went viral and received special coverage in a number of media outlets in Israel.

Muslim Righteous Among the Nations – there is such a thing – Haaretz (Hebrew edition) – Oded Yaron –  10.27.15

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