Following a meeting with representatives of a church from the Netherlands earlier in the year, Mossawa Center General Director Jafar Farah and Executive Director Suha Salman Mousa met with the Dutch Ambassador to Israel, H.E. Hans Docter on February 2nd. The meeting focused on the new right-wing government formed in Israel and its effects on Palestinian citizens of Israel. During the meeting, Farah and Salman Mousa spoke about the tension areas within Israel: the Naqab (Negev), mixed cities, sites of home demolitions and poverty based violence within the community. They also brought up Mossawa’s Solidarity Project and women and youth initiatives. The meeting was productive and a step towards continued partnership.
Two days later on February 4th, Farah was a part of a group of Arab leaders who met with the EU Special Representative to Israel and Palestine, H.E. Sven Koopsman. It was another productive meeting where Farah raised similar points about the plight of Palestinian citizens of Israel especially in the era of the new government. In both meetings, the directors also asked for the continuous support in defending against state sanctioned violence in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. Moreover, the flag incident that happened in Haifa, where Mossawa is located, where five Arabs were detained for having the Palestinian flag was also brought up. These meetings fostered relations between Mossawa and Palestinians and the European representatives.