The Preparatory Committee of the Higher Follow up Committee for Palestinian Arab Citizens of Israel and the Coalition Against Military and Civic Service, cordially invites you to participate in the work of the National Congress Against Military Recruitment.

We, the Palestinian civil society organizations in Israel, absolutely reject the new law enacted by the Knesset on 24 February 2014, which replaces Arab representation on a public advisory board of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with sectarian representation. This new law is a dangerous attempt by the state to distort the Arab identity of Palestinians in Israel. Despite its actual marginal impact, racist motives underlie this law and foreshadow the enactment of more racist bills and policies, which we will oppose.

The debate around the recruitment of Arab citizens of Israel to the Israeli military has intensified in the last month. In recent years, Israel has been increasingly proactive in the recruitment of Arabs to service. Some young people have been susceptible to the assimilation

The Druze community was systematically and constantly segregated from other Palestinians, with a huge influence of Israeli policies. Their ID cards and many legal aspects, such as separate electoral in local municipality, reinforce the idea of a separated group and also reinforce their identity as a national one

Maisan Hamdan Ahmad Jabarin Areen Shtewe

Amir Zreik, Chairperson Khaled Enbtawe Mariam Farah Rawan Eghbaria Osama Tanous Shahim Elias Natalie Hayek

Nadim Nashif, Director Jowan Safadi, Resources & Project Development Rasha Hamed, Administrative Assistant Nidaa Nassar, project coordinator George Ghantous, project coordinator

Several major protests have been coordinated in response to this catastrophic plan. Meticulous and intensive grassroots work culminated with prominent days of action in the Naqab as well as in the North on 15 July and 1 August. One of the most remarkable aspects of these events has been the unprecedented leadership of young people

We are proud to be able to announce today the release of Baladna Association for Arab Youth new Biennial Activities Report, 2011-2013

Statement released by Baladna – Association for Arab Youth on the occasion of International Youth Day

Baladna has been named a winner by the Youth Solidarity Fund of the United Nation

On the 24th June the Israeli Knesset narrowly approved the first reading of the racist and discriminatory Prawer-Begin Bill, paving the way for its second and third readings which the Israeli government hopes to push through parliament before the end of the month.

The Prawer Law affects the Arab population of the Naqab area (Negev). Also known as the Bedouins, they constitute a semi nomadic Arab population that had inhabited the southern desert of Israel long before Israel was established as a nation. Before 1948 there was 65,000 to 90,000 Bedouin living in the Naqab area currently there are approximately 40, 000 that will be displaced. This decrease in the population was mainly due to the high percentage (80 - 85%) of Bedouins that were deported after the war of 1948. On the map below, the green area represents the Naqab area.

To mark the 37th anniversary of Land Day, the Baladna Association for Arab Youth has released an infographic poster about the racist Prawer Plan which aims at the confiscation of the lands and the displacement of the Arab Bedouins in unrecognized ( by the government) Naqab villages .  Poster created and designed by Nayif Shaqur

By Nadim Nashif Following the Israeli election two days ago we in Baladna wanted to share with you these quick thoughts on the main impact of the latest Israeli  elections on Arab Palestinian youth citizens of Israel. The consequences of Israeli elections are never immediately obvious, due to the lengthy process of tactical coalition-building which must take place in the following weeks. However