issue23

Galilee Society Newsletter - Issue 23 - December, 2006 file:///Users/Chris/Documents/Work%20Files/Galilee%20Society/N...

1 of 9 1/4/07 9:58 AM

Galilee Society Newsletter

Seasons Greetings from the Galilee Society!

In This Issue: Issue 23, December 2006

Symposium Celebrates Naqab Department's 15 Years of Service to the Southern Bedouin CommunityHRC Hosts Follow-up Study Day for HIV/AIDS Peer EducatorsInterview: Peer Educators Discuss HIV/AIDS Perceptions by Generation

Environmental Advocacy: Efforts Focus on Pesticide Use Near Residential AreaR&D Center Hosts Pioneering Inventor of the "Electronic Nose" Cancer Diagnostic TechnologyNews in BriefHow to Support the Galilee Society

Symposium Celebrates Naqab Department's 15 Years of Service to the Southern Bedouin Community

More than 200 dignitaries, supporters, andmedia attended the Naqab Department’scelebration of 15 years of service toPalestinian Bedouins from the Naqab on 29November in Beer El Sabe’. Representatives from the local mediacovered the event for radio, print, andtelevision, and Galilee Society GeneralDirector Dr. Basel Ghattas was interviewedfor a local radio station.


2 of 9 1/4/07 9:58 AM

A student receives recognition for scholarly research

Participants in the Naqab Department's 15thAnniversary celebration

The purpose of the event was to recognize Naqab Department supporters and funders, to acknowledge accomplishments, and to promote activities in the media.

Activities were launched with a speech by Mr. Wael Omari, the chairman of the GalileeSociety Board, in which he highlighted the accomplishments of the Naqab Department to theregion’s citizens. Mr. Adnan Sa'id, Director of the Naqab Department, then summarized theactivities of the Department during its 15 years. In particular, he stressed the transparencyof the Department’s work, its ability to work locally as well as in a national context, and therole of the Department in improving the health and economic situation of the region’sPalestinians. He also cited the success of the mobile clinic in immunizing thousands ofNaqab residents. Mr. Said then listed other accomplishments, such as health educationlectures for teachers and Arab nurses and legal advocacy compelling the State to buildhealth clinics.

Dr. Ilana Bellmaker of the Ministry of Health delivered a speech discussing the health situation in the Naqab and in particular the unrecognized villages. She spoke of a regiongravely lacking in opportunities for the young and in health infrastructure. Dr. Bellmakerthen identified the successes of the Galilee Society in the Naqab to improve the basic health services.

Mr. Hussein Arafaya, General Director of theRegional Council for Unrecognized Villagesspoke about the region in a political context,arguing that Ariel Sharon’s policies led to theconfiscation of Arab land and the demolitionof Arab homes.

Mr. Sheik Atia al Assam, from the Association of 40, an organization of the 40 unrecognized villages in the Naqab, spoke of the important role of the Galilee Society in the region. He said that the Galilee Societywas unique in its solidarity with the Association of 40.

Dr. Basel Ghattas spoke passionately aboutthe importance of the Naqab Department’s activities in the region. He outlined the goals ofthe Galilee Society in the Naqab, and expressed his hopes that its successes wouldcontinue long into the future.

Following speeches, Galilee Society staff presented awards to representatives of ACSUR,the Naqab Department’s largest current funder. In addition, awards were presented toGalilee Society supporters and to Arab female students with achievements in academicresearch.

HRC Hosts Follow-up Study Day for HIV/AIDS Peer Educators


3 of 9 1/4/07 9:58 AM

Consultant Mohammad Khatib (with microphone) and HRC Director Hanan Mannaa at the conference

Trained peer educators at the conference

More than 100 Arab high school students selected to be trained as peer HIV/AIDS educators participated in a Health Rights Center study day on 21 November at the Galilee Society headquarters. This eventconstitutes a follow-up to initial trainings conducted by the HRC that trained motivated students to act as positive and informed anti-AIDS advocates.

HRC staff presented a range of activities including a filmed interview of an HIV positive woman and a feedback session where students shared their HIV/AIDS peer educator successes and setbacks. Thissession also provided students a forum to solicit advice from and provide feedback to HRC staff.

Nine high schools from Arab and Jewish localities were represented. Originallylimited to Galilee-area high schools, the project has expanded in Fall 2006 to include students from the Triangle and Naqab (Negev) regions.

Beginning in 2005, the HRC has conductedseven initial trainings for a total of 132students, 110 of which attended theNovember study day. In these trainings, thelatest of which took place in October in thevillages of Kufu Karee’ and Reina, subjectsincluded general health, sexually transmitteddiseases and HIV/AIDS in particular, andmethods for discussing these taboo issues.At the end of every workshop the GalileeSociety provided every student with atraining kit containing written materials and aPowerPoint presentation on HIV/AIDS (hardcopy and CD) in Arabic.

Participating schools included: Iben Sena High School in Nahif; Maral Ihas High School inIbilene; Alatine High School in Reni; El Scofia High School in Shefa-‘Amr; El Khoharismi HighSchool in Tamara; Ort High School in Akko; a High School in Rami; a High School in Baanni;and Carmalite High School in Haifa.

Interview: Peer Educators Discuss HIV/AIDS Perceptions by Generation


4 of 9 1/4/07 9:58 AM

Eljam Hadad, Carmelite High School student

Shereen Sirhan, Iben Sena High School student

During the November 21 Study Day for Peer Educators atthe Galilee Society Headquarters in Shefa-‘Amr, two Arabfemale Peer Educators spoke with Galilee Society staffabout HIV/AIDS perceptions in their communities and theirrole in spreading awareness.

The first student, Eljam Hadad, is a student at CarmeliteHigh School in Haifa. The second student, ShereenSirhan, is a student at Iben Sena High School in Nahif, asmall village near the city of Karmi’el.

Q: In your opinion, is HIV/AIDS a problem in yourcommunity?

R1: It is a big problem, in my opinion. We should have events such as the one today toknow how to prevent diseases such as AIDS.R2: Sure, it is a problem in my community since we don’t have enough public knowledge,particularly in the Arab community.

Q: Do young people discuss AIDS in your community?

R1: Between friends in small groups, we get to the subjectsomehow. Not everyone has the same opinion aboutAIDS, and I hear many stereotypes and falsehoods about the disease.R2: We discuss AIDS in small groups in the village and inthe family. But we don’t find awareness of the disease. People don’t care or want to discuss it. This study day –being able to discuss AIDS openly – is a new experiencefor me. If we share this experience with family and peoplein the village, they will find it appalling that we arediscussing this issue.

Q: How is your parents’ perception of HIV/AIDS different from that of your generation?

R1: My community [Haifa] is more open; we can discuss HIV/AIDS with our families. I don’tthink there is a big difference, and I feel comfortable discussing HIV/AIDS with my family.R2: I am not comfortable talking with my parents about HIV/AIDS. They’re conservative, sothis is not something I would discuss with them. The older generations believe that ourcommunity is far from being affected by HIV/AIDS, so it is not an important issue for them.

Q: How do you define your role in HIV/AIDS awareness?

R1: We had a similar study day at our school, but I think that every year there’s somethingnew to learn – new advances or new discoveries. [When we committed to being peer


5 of 9 1/4/07 9:58 AM

Map of Israel showing the location of Arab Al Aramshy

educators with the Galilee Society] we thought we could get new info and pass it on to themany people who were not aware.R2: I am here as a pupil to learn, and then I hope to enrich and to educate my colleagues,who I believe don’t have enough knowledge on the subject.

Q: Do you consider this role a positive experience in your life?

R2: It’s very positive.

Environmental Advocacy: Efforts Focus on Pesticide Use Near Residential Area

The EJC has launched a legal advocacycampaign to halt pesticide spraying by aKibbutz near a kindergarten and homes inthe Bedouin village of Arab Al Aramshy,located near the Lebanese border. The EJClearned of this serious health risk thanks toa tip submitted via the Galilee Society’sGreenLine, an online environmentalproblem-reporting tool.

The EJC has sent a letter to the Ministries of Environment and Agriculture, as well as to the Government body in charge of nature and gardens, and the governing body of the Kibbutz, requesting the termination of this practice.

In the letter, the EJC identified threeproblems as a result of the spraying. First,the odor constitutes an imposition on theresidents’ privacy; two, the pesticide toxicityis a breach of residents’ right to a healthyenvironment; and three, the behaviorviolates a federal law forbidding the use of toxic materials within 50 meters of a residentialarea.

R&D Center Hosts Pioneering Inventor of the “Electronic Nose” CancerDiagnostic Technology

The R&D Center hosted a lecture on 14 December by Dr. Houssam Haick on the subject ofhis groundbreaking artificial olfactory system, the “Electronic Nose,” which is capable ofdetecting cancerous cells by “sniffing” patients’ breath. More than 20 people, including R&Dstaff and scientists, Galilee Society staff, and scientists of various organizations, attendedthe event.


6 of 9 1/4/07 9:58 AM

Presentation by Dr. Gamal Hasson

Dr. Haick, a researcher at Haifa Technion University’s Russel Berrie Department forNanotechnology, has developed a technology that can theoretically detect lung cancer in itsinitial stage of development. The “Electronic Nose” could revolutionize the early detection ofcancer, thereby improving rates of successful treatment.

As a result of demonstrated success, the European Union has awarded Dr. Haick, a nativeof Nazareth, with a prestigious Marie Curie Excellence grant totaling $2.3 million, which ispart of the EU’s effort to encourage promising young scientists. This grant is the largestever received by an Israeli scientist.

Dr. Haick’s breakthrough technology consists of nanometer-sized sensors that work in thesame way as the human olfactory sense. In Dr. Haick’s system, the ultra-sensitive sensorstransmit signals to a program for processing, whereas in the human olfactory sense,receptors in the nose send signals to the brain. Dr. Haick’s sensors can pick out cancerouscells and report them to a computer processor.

The EU grant funds Dr. Haick’s project for four years, at the end of which he hopes to reachhis goal of developing a cancer detecting device suitable for commercialization.

News in Brief

HRC Hosts Conference to Review HIV/AIDS Effects on Palestinians in Israel

The Health Rights Center, in collaborationwith the Israeli AIDS Taskforce, organized aconference at Galilee Society headquartersin Shefa Amr’ on 6 December to discuss theeffect of HIV/AIDS in Israel’s Palestiniancommunity.

Speakers included Dr. Jamaal Hassoon, a specialist in infectious diseases at Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Dr. Daniel Shemtov, General Director of Cellular Disease at the Ministry of Health, and Hanan Mannaa, General Director of the HRC.

Dr. Hassoon, with the aid of a visual presentation, gave a scientific overview of the effect of AIDS on the body. He alsostressed the importance of education to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Shemtov took the opportunity to thank the Galilee Society for its work in healtheducation. He presented official State statistics regarding HIV/AIDS prevalence in the Arabcommunity in Israel. For example, he stated that 92 cases of HIV infection have beendocumented amongst Israeli Arabs, and that every year the State tests 250,000 Israelis for HIV.

General Director Mannaa’ outlined HRC HIV/AIDS education projects, in which HRC stafftravel to high schools to discuss the facts about HIV/AIDS with students, and a project, in


7 of 9 1/4/07 9:58 AM

which standout students are trained to act as HIV/AIDS peer educators. Mannaa expressedconcern at the reluctance of certain high school headmasters to discuss HIV/AIDS for fearof parent objections. However, she praised the courage of others to promote frank dialogueabout the dangers of HIV/AIDS.

Galilee Society General Director Attends London Biotechnology Networking Conference

Galilee Society General Director Dr. Basel Ghattas attended a conference in December of Genesis IV, a biotechnology networking organization, in London. Dr. Ghattas representedSynthatex, a biotechnology firm associated with the R&D center that supplies unique specialty therapeutic compounds and molecules to the global pharmaceutical industry.

In addition to representing Synthatex, the purpose of Dr. Ghattas' attendance at the conference was to network with other biotechnology firms and other international companies and to meet with potential investors.

Cohen Foundation Representatives Visit the Galilee Society

Three representatives from the Naomi & Nehemiah Cohen Foundation visited with Galilee Society staff on 4 December and toured the organization's facilities.

Stuart and Diane Brown and Alison McWilliams toured the Society's headquarters in Shefa- �Amr as well its the sewage treatment pilot project, a project funded by the USAID Middle East Regional Cooperation Program (MERC), located in the village of Sakhnin, in Northern Israel.

The Cohen Foundation currently provides funding for the Galilee Society's Core programs.

Rikaz Staff Updates Databank with Latest Government Socio-Economic Statistics

Rikaz staff updated the Databank in December with the most recent Government Labor Force Survey, thus assuring that the Databank contains the latest comparative data on socio-economic conditions in Israel.

The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) publishes their Labor Force Survey, which compiles data on the main socio-economic indicators for all Israelis, annually.

The Rikaz Databank comprises both data collected by Rikaz on the socio-economic situation of Palestinians in Israel as well as government data, which is critical for


8 of 9 1/4/07 9:58 AM

Rikaz websitecomparative analysis. The Databankcontains official government statistics going back to 1989.

Galilee Society Staff Meets for Annual Planning Session

Galilee Society staff and R&D Center staff met separately on 11 December for daylong 2008 planning sessions. This year, discussion focused on improved financial monitoring andbetter inter-departmental communication.

How to Support the Galilee Society

Help achieve equitable health, environmental, and socio-economic conditions and development opportunities for Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel by supporting the Galilee Society.

How to Donate to the Galilee Society

Tax-Exempt DonationsIn order to facilitate giving, the Galilee Society has recently received tax-exempt status inthe United States, via the Friends of the Galilee Society. To donate in the United States,please make checks payable to the Friends of the Galilee Society and send them to:

Dr. Shouki KassisChair, Board of Directors7 Lee Road, Audubon, PA 19403United [email protected]: +1 610 662 3693

Bank transfers to the Friends of the Galilee Society can be made to the following account:

Account Name: Friends of the Galilee SocietyBank Name: PNC BankBranch: Audubon Village Shopping CenterAccount Number: 86-0943-9642

Please inform Friends of the Galilee Society of your donation:[email protected].

Direct DonationsTo donate to the Galilee Society directly, please send checks (in any currency) payable tothe Galilee Society at:

P.O. Box 330Shefa-Amr, 20200Israel

Alternatively, bank transfers (in any currency) can be made directly to the Galilee Society's bank account:


9 of 9 1/4/07 9:58 AM

Account Number: 9800Bank Name: Bank HapoalimBranch Number: 731Bank Address: Jabour Street, Shefa-Amr 20200 IsraelSWIFT Code: POALILIT

Please inform us of your donation at [email protected].

The Galilee Society - The Arab National Society for Health Research and Services is a leading disk utilitycommunity-based Arab NGO. The overriding goal of the Galilee Society is the achievement of equitable health andsocio-economic conditions for the Palestinian citizens of Israel.

The Galilee SocietyP.O. Box 330, Shefa-Amr 20200, IsraelTel.: +972 4 986 1171Fax: +972 4 986 1173Email: [email protected]

issue23

Documents

galilee society supporters

galilee society staff

galilee society board

galilee society headquarters

naqab departments activities

galilee societysymposium

naqab departments celebration

naqab negev regions