The Arab League is hosting a conference this week entitled ‘Strategy for Relations with 1948’s Arabs’.
The Arab League’s Deputy Chairman Sa’id Kamal opened the conference, expressing his hope that Israeli Arabs will constitute a bridge for peace. Kamal emphasized the conference’s aim is to first of all support Israeli Arabs in their fight for equality inside the state of Israel.
The conference was attended by 16 Israeli Arab lawmakers and public figures, including politicians Muhammad Baraka and Ahmad Tibi. Tibi, a former adviser to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yassir Arafat, criticized Israel’s policy in the Palestinian territories and its policy towards its Arab citizens. He claimed, “Israel is a democratic state for the Jews, but a Jewish state for the Arabs,” according to the Israeli daily Haaretz. The delegation met league chairman ‘Amru Mousa on April 28.
To date, the conference, which began on April 26, has received minimal coverage in Egyptian and Middle Eastern media. More coverage is expected tomorrow (April 29), as newspapers are likely to report the Israeli Arab delegation’s meeting with the Arab League chairman and his deputy, Arab League Spokesman Hossam Zaki told The Media Line.