The Abraham Initiatives

14/10/2026

Tourism in the north is in crisis, and the war has only deepened it. But this week in Nazareth, local authorities, tourism professionals and economic leaders came together to discuss how tourism can become a shared economic interest for Arabs and Jews, and a path to a more shared society.

The meeting was the first in a series of roundtables on the Galilee and the Valleys. It joins the second phase of TAI's Tourism Hub, which brings together Arab and Jewish business owners. We work from both directions on purpose. Policy and planning can open doors, but lasting change depends on the people who run the businesses and host the visitors.

What we heard:
🔹 The war is not the whole story. The region also lacks a joint marketing strategy and faces barriers to investment.
🔹 Visitors don’t stop at municipal borders, so planning and marketing need to be regional.
🔹 Overnight stays, not day trips, are what bring money into local communities.
🔹 Lasting cooperation needs professional coordination, stronger local capacity and ongoing institutional support.

The future of tourism in the north depends not only on how many tourists return, but on whether authorities, businesses and communities can work together, build trust and grow shared prosperity.

12/10/2026

As the national elections approach, how can healthcare organizations protect Arab-Jewish partnership and keep their workplaces safe for both staff and patients? Our new guide offers practical steps to strengthen preparedness, protection and cohesion before, during and after the elections, and has been shared with healthcare providers across the country.

Read the full document at https://shorturl.at/Pa3tQ to see what health organizations can do to anticipate election-related tensions while sustaining trust and continuity of care.

09/10/2026

Our recent survey on voting patterns revealed a clear gender gap in electoral participation among Arab citizens, with women less likely than men to say they intend to vote. In response, we have created a campaign to encourage Arab women to vote and to make their voices heard in the decisions that shape their communities.

The campaign includes a series of short videos, published daily on Facebook and Instagram in the run-up to the elections. They feature prominent Arab women from many walks of life, including academics, activists, peace activists, local council members and educators. Their message to other women is simple: your voice should be sounded in the decisions that shape your future.

We invite you to watch our interview with Hiyam Tannous, social activist and member of the leadership team of 'Women Wage Peace', in which she shares her thoughts ahead of the national elections.

06/10/2026

Our recent survey findings show that only 63% of Arab women say they intend to vote in the upcoming national elections, compared with 72% of Arab men.

That gap is one we shouldn't ignore. To help close it, TAI has produced a series of stickers with messages such as "Vote for your daughter's sake" and "Democracy dies when women remain silent."

The stickers are being distributed by field activists from Standing Together, our partner in this campaign.

29/09/2026

A settler outpost is being set up inside Israel, in an Arab town. This is a warning sign. ⚠️

In the West Bank, outposts start small: a few tents, a claim to "grazing land." Over time, they become permanent and push out the surrounding community. Now it's happening in Majd al-Krum, within the Green Line.

On September 14, residents found settlers had set up tents and utilities on JNF land in the town. The land was leased for grazing, but there were no animals in sight. The settlers left after protests by Arab and Jewish residents, then returned. Finance Minister Smotrich even held a party meeting at the site, calling it an effort to bring the West Bank settlement model to the Galilee and the Negev.

When TAI's Lama Yassin arrived, the settlers complained, "There are lots of Arabs here," and called the police. Her answer: "You know we're citizens of this country, right?" Her post relating the event this has passed 200,000 views. Lama also shared a longer description and the organization's position which we invite you to watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9qgaeokOTw

This is not an isolated incident. When ministers speak of the "Judaization of the Galilee," they treat Arab citizens as outsiders in their own homeland. Arab citizens and their rights must not become tools of election propaganda.

17/09/2026

Fifteen Arab and Jewish tourism entrepreneurs. One room in Nazareth.

At our second Hub gathering this week, Ziv Reinstein, tourism editor at Walla News, spoke about the challenges facing Nazareth's tourism sector and offered a way forward: find the story only this region can tell. His example: the Nazareth Iris, a wildflower native to the area that blooms in March is exactly the kind of distinctive hook that can turn a local hike into a package worth booking.

The conversation then turned to action, as representatives from the Organizational Welfare Directors Forum showed entrepreneurs how to bring their joint packages directly to HR teams at large companies, thus opening a direct channel to corporate group bookings.

This is what shared society looks like in practice: Arab and Jewish business owners building one tourism economy, one story, and one partnership at a time.

09/09/2026

Something rare recently happened in Israeli politics: a former police commander and Knesset member of the Yesh Atid party is running as #2 on Mansour Abbas's Ra'am list.

Jewish, secular, ex-police commissioner.
Arab, religious, conservative.
They are teaming up - not despite their differences but while openly acknowledging them.

Is this just election-season strategy, or a genuine crack in one of Israeli politics' most entrenched divides, that between "Jewish politics" and "Arab politics"?

Amnon Be'eri-Sulitzeanu of The Abraham Initiatives makes the case for why this partnership matters more than it might seem.

Read the full piece 👇

Jewish and Arab citizens work together every day, in hospitals, universities, businesses and public institutions. Politics has been different, but this may be changing too

03/09/2026

The Abraham Initiatives' Statement on Yoav Segalovich's Agreement with Ra'am:

The agreement between Ra’am and Yoav Segalovich is a significant development, both publicly and politically, particularly against the backdrop of the ongoing crime and violence crisis in Arab society.

Over the years, Segalovich has accumulated substantial experience and developed a deep understanding of the fight against crime in Arab society. The possibility that he will continue working on this issue within an Arab political framework could strengthen efforts to advance effective policies and place the personal security of Arab citizens at the center of the political agenda.

The move also carries broader significance. It demonstrates the potential to translate the political power of Arab citizens into tangible influence over policy and decision-making, while at the same time offering a model of Jewish-Arab political partnership built around shared interests and substantive issues.

At a time when Jewish-Arab partnership is under attack and facing growing delegitimization, the very possibility of building political alliances of this kind points toward a different direction for Israeli politics: one in which the Arab voice is not merely represented, but is also an active partner in shaping the agenda and influencing decisions that affect both Arab society and Israeli society as a whole.

27/08/2026

From connections to collaboration: 16 Arab and Jewish tourism professionals gathered in Nazareth for “Market Day” on August 17th, for the opening session of the second Tourism and Culture for a Shared Society Hub.

Working in mixed teams, participants began developing joint tourism packages that will combine the region’s culinary, cultural, hospitality and agricultural offerings. The goal is to reach new audiences, strengthen local businesses and build a shared regional economy.

Because a shared society is built not only through encounter, but through shared opportunity, partnership and cooperation.

25/08/2026

When Jewish Israeli politicians enter Arab communities looking to provoke a reaction — surrounded by security guards, armed with cameras and social media teams, claiming to “restore governance” — they are using their oversight powers as a vehicle for bullying and humiliation.

In Co-CEO Amnon Be’eri-Sulitzeanu’s recent Times of Israel article, he denounces this practice and advises residents and local leaders not to give provocateurs what they’re looking for:

From the blog of Amnon Beeri-Sulitzeanu at The Times of Israel