The Mossawa Center is leading a groundbreaking project to build an unprecedented multi-ethnic coalition of Israel's marginalized communities.
The Mossawa Center’s Solidarity Project is a transformative initiative aimed at fostering coexistence, political inclusion, and social justice by strengthening collaboration between Palestinian Arab citizens and other marginalized groups in Israel, known collectively as the HAMER (Haredi, Arab, Mizrahi, Ethiopian, and Russian-speaking) communities. Through grassroots activism, local governance advocacy, media campaigns, and intercommunal dialogue, the Solidarity Project works to combat discrimination, build alliances across different ethnic groups, and revitalize the peace movement.
This project recognizes that Palestinian Arab citizens are pivotal agents of change in Israel’s social and political landscape and seeks to enhance their role in shaping local and national policies, particularly in mixed cities where Jewish and Arab communities coexist. By empowering underrepresented voices, strengthening political representation, and countering incitement and extremist rhetoric, the Mossawa Center is laying the foundation for a more inclusive and equitable society.
A central component of the Mossawa Center’s Solidarity Project is its annual conferences and roundtable discussions, which serve as key platforms for dialogue, advocacy, and coalition-building. These gatherings bring together activists, policymakers, academics, and community leaders to address the social, political, and economic challenges facing Palestinian Arab citizens and HAMER communities in Israel.
In 2024, the "Cultural and National Pluralism - Between War and Elections" Conference drew over 250 participants and 36 speakers from diverse backgrounds. The conference provided a critical space for discussing escalating violations against Palestinian Arabs, incitement, workplace dismissals, and discrimination in government budget allocations.
Sessions were conducted in Arabic, Hebrew, Russian, and English, with translation available to ensure inclusivity. Panelists, including municipal leaders, legal experts, and activists, emphasized the importance of pluralism as a tool for political change and the need to challenge systematic inequalities through policy reform.
In addition to large-scale conferences, the Mossawa Center has hosted specialized roundtables focusing on solidarity in local authorities to discuss coalition-building and equitable resource distribution; women’s leadership and political representation; the role of alternative mediauniversities as paces for
One of the core objectives of the Solidarity Project is to increase political participation and cooperation among HAMER communities in mixed cities such as Haifa, Acre, Lod, Ramle, and Nof HaGalil. These cities have been the site of ethnic tensions, underfunding, and systematic discrimination, exacerbated by government policies and far-right incitement. Key initiatives in mixed cities include:
Political Consensus Building and Local Elections Advocacy
The Mossawa Center facilitated meetings between Palestinian Arab council members and HAMER representatives to strategize for the municipal elections. These discussions prevented extremist factions from gaining political control and helped form Arab-Jewish coalitions in multiple cities. The historic appointment of an Arab deputy mayor in Nof HaGalil was a direct result of these coalition-building efforts.
Workshops and Strategic Planning for Local Councils
The project mapped socio-economic challenges in mixed cities to inform policy and strengthen cooperation between marginalized communities. A comprehensive research paper on mixed cities, authored by Dr. Rana Zaher, provided policy recommendations for improving urban planning, education, and infrastructure for HAMER communities.
Preventing Violence and Promoting Inter-communal Cooperation
Following the events of May 2021, which saw violent clashes in mixed cities, the Mossawa Center intensified its grassroots mobilization to prevent future conflicts. In 2024, Mossawa organized meetings between Arab and Jewish municipal representatives, community activists, and security officials to promote coexistence and counter far-right incitement. Through local governance engagement, the project ensured that HAMER communities had a voice in shaping policies affecting their neighborhoods.
The Mossawa Center organizes solidarity tours designed to foster cross-community dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation among HAMER communities. These tours provide participants with a unique opportunity to engage in people-to-people exchanges, breaking down cultural barriers and forging relationships built on shared struggles and aspirations. By visiting each other’s communities, participants gain a deeper appreciation for the challenges faced by different ethnic and social groups in Israel, laying the foundation for long-term solidarity and collaboration.
The solidarity tours create an immersive experience that allows HAMER participants to explore the realities of life in each other’s communities. Palestinian Arab participants visit Mizrahi and Ethiopian neighborhoods to better understand their historical marginalization, economic struggles, and cultural resilience. Similarly, participants from Jewish HAMER communities visit Palestinian Arab towns, unrecognized villages, and mixed cities to witness firsthand the effects of discriminatory government policies on housing, education, and employment. These exchanges are not just about raising awareness, but about building relationships and shared advocacy efforts.
A major focus of the tours is highlighting common struggles in areas such as housing discrimination, economic inequality, lack of municipal funding, and political underrepresentation. In mixed cities like Haifa, Lod, and Ramle, participants engage in discussions about how urban planning policies have reinforced segregation and how they can collectively work toward more inclusive governance. In the Naqab, where unrecognized Bedouin villages struggle for legal status and basic infrastructure, Ethiopian and Mizrahi participants draw connections between their own experiences of displacement and forced resettlement. These exchanges help foster a shared sense of purpose and commitment to joint advocacy.
Beyond discussing challenges, the tours also celebrate cultural diversity and resilience. Participants engage with community leaders, artists, educators, and social activists who are working to preserve their cultural identities while advocating for social justice. Traditional meals, storytelling sessions, and cultural performances allow for meaningful interpersonal connections, helping to dispel stereotypes and deepen mutual respect. These experiences emphasize that while each community faces unique struggles, there are commonalities in their histories of marginalization and their fight for equal rights.
Palestinian Arab women have historically been underrepresented in local governance. The Mossawa Center has prioritized women’s leadership development, equipping them with the tools and networks needed to increase their influence in municipal decision-making. Key initiatives include:
Workshops for Female Local Council Members
The Mossawa Center hosted training sessions on political marketing, public speaking, budget advocacy, and coalition-building for Arab and HAMER women in local government. These workshops provided mentorship and strategic planning tools to help women leaders navigate challenges in a male-dominated political environment.
Women’s Political Network Formation
A network for Arab women in local councils was created to facilitate knowledge-sharing and collaborative policy development. Palestinian Arab women leaders engaged with Mizrahi and Russian-speaking women politicians to strengthen cross-community advocacy efforts.
Successful Electoral Participation
Despite the 2023 war on Gaza and low voter turnout, the Mossawa Center’s advocacy led to the election of 23 Palestinian Arab women to local councils, ensuring stronger female representation in governance.
The mainstream Israeli media has historically marginalized HAMER communities, reinforcing negative stereotypes and limiting their political influence. The Solidarity Project has worked to change public discourse by amplifying diverse voices and countering misinformation. Key media initiatives include:
Alternative Media Platforms and Multilingual Journalism
The Sowtna website has been a vital tool for publishing stories in Arabic, Hebrew, Russian, and English, ensuring that HAMER narratives reach wider audiences. In 2023-2024, over 1,000 news articles were published, challenging discriminatory policies and promoting multicultural cooperation.
Media Workshops and Journalist Training
The Mossawa Center trained Russian-speaking, Mizrahi, and Palestinian Arab journalists on how to report on human rights issues and minority struggles more effectively. These workshops resulted in the production of dozens of investigative reports and news articles that provided a more accurate representation of HAMER communities.
Countering Discriminatory Government Policies
In response to a proposed law allowing medical professionals to deny treatment based on religious beliefs, Mossawa launched a nationwide media campaign opposing the legislation. The campaign garnered widespread media attention, drawing public and international scrutiny to institutional discrimination.