Galilee Society Newsletter - Issue 27

1. Galilee Society Newsletter
In This Issue: Issue 28, November 2007
Ataa Report Launched at Study Day: Pioneering Breast Cancer Awareness
Security, A Collective Right of the Project Among Arab Women
Palestinian National Minority Continues
EJC: Knesset Committee of Interior Naqab Department Launches
Affairs and Protection of the Nutrition Campaign in Area Schools
Environment Finds Mekorot Water News in Brief
Shutoff Policy “Appalling and
Degrading” How to Support the Galilee Society
Galilee Society Representative Tours
United States for Breast Cancer
Awareness
Ataa Report Launched at Study Day: Security, A Collective Right of the
Palestinian National Minority

2. On Friday, the 19th of October 2007, the NGOs that coordinated the ‘Ataa Hotline held a study
day entitled Security: A Collective Right of the National Minority at Al Maydan Theater in Haifa.
The study day launched and discussed the one-year report of the hotline, and the economic,
psychological and health effects of the
Second Israeli War on Lebanon in the
summer of 2006.
‘Ataa (Arabic for “to give”) Hotline, a toll-free
number, was created by the Galilee Society
and Adalah, as well as Ahali Center for
Community Development, the Arab Culture
Association, the Arab Psychologists
Association, Ittijah and the Medical Relief
Committee. It was designed to provide legal,
psychological, and health support for Arabs
The one-year report of the 'Ataa Hotline
residing in villages affected by the war.
which is now available
During the conflict, Hezbollah rockets fell in
and near Arab villages. With a population of
around 610,000, Arabs constitute the
majority of residents in northern Israel according to the Israeli census. However, Arab
communities found themselves effectively abandoned by the state. There was a complete
absence of the air raid shelters, sirens, information and support, and access to emergency
services that were quickly instituted for Jewish citizens.
The ‘Ataa Hotline worked specifically to combat this inequality. By dialing *2231, or visiting the
web at www.ataa48.org, citizens could access health, legal and psychological support and
advice in the Arabic language. The Hotline logged 231 calls in the first three weeks. In addition
to the call center, The Galilee Society, Arab Cultural Association and Baladna Association held
a summer camp in August 2006 to provide psychological support to war-affected children
between the ages of 8 and 14.
To open the recent study day, Galilee Society General Director Mohammad Khatib placed the
events of the past year in the greater context of the history of the Palestinian Arab minority in
Israel, stating that even in times of peace, they have been victimized. The effects of the
conflict last summer are “a link in the chain of events of the past 60 years, but this is a
challenge that we can organize ourselves to face in a positive way.”
Rikaz (www.rikaz.org) Director Ahmad Sheikh Muhammad highlighted findings of the report.
The percentage of Jewish citizen fatalities dropped from 100% of total fatalities to 29% of total
Israeli fatalities over the course of the war as emergency services were put into action.
However, Arab citizen fatalities continued to increase throughout the conflict and the ratio
between Jewish and Arab fatalities shifted dramatically. There were nearly twice as many Arab
Israeli fatalities as there were Jewish in the mid-to-latter stages of the war. Furthermore,
women were more negatively affected psychologically, as they found themselves bearing
much of the responsibility for the safety of the house and children.
Guest speakers Samer Ma’allam, Director of the Arab Emergency Center, and Emil Sama’an
reviewed the major problem in times of emergency: there is no information available on the

3. internet or elsewhere in Arabic, or that pertains to the Arab minority. They spoke about their
initiatives to organize the Arab community and coordinate between villages toward readiness
in dealing with future crises and emergencies. Professor Marwan Dwairy of Adalah, the Legal
Center for Arab Minority Rights, reviewed the special psychological difficulties posed by
conflicts with Arab countries on Arab individuals in Israel. Dr. Hala Khoury-Bisharat, from the
Tel Aviv University School of Law, spoke about the right to security in international law, and
highlighted the recent UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which sets out
individual and collective rights, prohibits discrimination and calls for full participation in matters
that affect them. Other guest speakers included Dr. Yousef Jabareen, Dr. As’ad Ghanim, Dr.
Mahmoud Yazbak, Dr. Dof Hanin and Dr. Jamal Zahaliqa, on approaching individual and
collective security for the Palestinian minority in Israel.
Since the Second Israeli War on Lebanon in 2006 there have been no major changes for the
security of the Palestinian minority. There have been some initiatives to aid the residents of the
north in overcoming the negative consequences of the war through state compensation.
However, no new shelters or sirens have been placed in Arab communities, leaving them at
risk in future conflicts.
EJC: Knesset Committee of Interior Affairs and Protection of the
Environment Finds Mekorot Water Shutoff Policy “Appalling and
Degrading”
Residents of Majd Al-Kroum, an Arab village in the Galilee region of Israel, have been feeling
first-hand the effects of discriminatory water policy in Israel. Since the end of October the
Israeli National water utility, Mekorot, has shut off the water supply to the entirety of the village,
forcing residents to buy and stockpile bottled water for essential tasks such as flushing the
toilet and preparing food.
The water cutoff is an example of the
collective punishment which attempts to
force local authorities to pay their water debt
to Mekorot. The water shutoffs, which are
common in Arab villages, constitute
disproportionate and collective punishment
which is illegal under Israeli law. Hospitals,
schools, and paying and non-paying citizens
all suffer the effects of public health risks
and deprival of the basic human right to
water. The Environmental Justice Center
(EJC) has concentrated advocacy efforts on A student demonstrates in Majd Al-Kroum
this ongoing policy since 2004. For against collective water shutoff policy
information on past efforts please see the
25th Issue of the Galilee Society Newsletter.
The EJC is working with a local committee specially formed by the residents of Majd Al-Kroum
to defend the rights of the citizens there. The committee organized a public demonstration to
protest against the collective punishment, which is illegal under international law, and which
breaches basic rights to safe water. The EJC has also authored and sent letters to the Ministry

4. of Interior Affairs, Mekorot, and the Majd Al-Kroum mayor.
Following the most recent Majd Al-Kroum water shutoff, Galilee Society Lawyer Shadi Azzam
requested immediate intervention from the Knesset Committee for Interior Affairs and
Protection of the Environment, and the issuing of a resolution forbidding Mekorot from cutting
the water supply to Arab towns and
households because of the debts of local
authorities.
On the 12th of November, the Committee
held a session to hear the Galilee Society
claims. The Committee stated that they are
concerned with this appalling policy which
harms innocents, elderly, and students, and
furthermore condemned Mekorot for
authorizing and allowing such a policy. The
Committee ordered Mekorot to stop
practicing water shutoffs, and instead to
solve matters of non-payment from local
authorities through dialogue and legal
Residents of Majd Al-Kroum attend a proceedings.
camp organized by the Galilee Society to
discuss the water cutoff

5. Galilee Society Representative Tours United States for Breast Cancer
Awareness
The Galilee Society’s Breast Cancer Project Coordinator and a Registered Nurse, Ms Amira
Othman, has just returned from a tour of the United States as part of a U.S. State Department
Breast Cancer Awareness and Community Outreach project. Seventeen participants from
across the Middle East and North Africa were invited to visit Washington D.C., Houston,
Dallas, San Diego, Detroit, Lansing and New York.
The tour supported the U.S.-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and
Research. The visitors were encouraged to share their ideas and strategize regarding breast
cancer awareness, educational campaigns on the importance of self-exams and
mammograms, public policy and research, and promotion of prevention, early diagnosis and
proper treatment.
In Washington D.C., the group attended meetings providing an overview of breast cancer
awareness and community outreach, and the U.S. federal interest in the issue both
domestically and internationally. U.S. First Lady, Laura Bush met with the group and assured
her support for the U.S.-Middle East Partnership. Ms. Othman was excited to report her
meeting with Nancy Brinker, the founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which sponsors the
Galilee Society’s Breast Cancer Awareness Project and which spearheaded breast cancer
awareness work in the U.S.
Amira Othman, RN, is currently
representing the Galilee Society on a tour
of the United States for Breast Cancer

6. The meetings comprising the tour were an Awareness
extremely valuable opportunity for Ms.
Othman to share with an American
audience, as well as the other Middle Eastern participants, the story of the Palestinian Arab
minority in Israel. The presence of the population is often entirely neglected in the international
arena and in coverage of the Middle East. The meetings also provided a chance for Ms.
Othman to hone the Galilee Society’s comprehensive Breast Cancer Awareness Project, the
only one of its kind targeting Arab women in Israel. The information gained from the tour will
further enable her to ensure that the Galilee Society campaign incorporates the experience of
the global campaign against breast cancer, while also meeting the specific needs of the Arab
women in Israel.
The group also visited the National Institute of Health to see current research on detection and
preventative treatments, and the American Cancer Society. Representatives of the American
Cancer Society affirmed global evidential support for beginning mammogram screening from
the age of 40. In both the U.S. and Israel, lack of insurance coverage for mammograms can
act as a barrier for women seeking proper prevention screening. In Israel, health insurance
covers mammogram screenings from the age of 50. However, the average age of Arab women
diagnosed with breast cancer is in their 40s.
Highlights of other cities included visits to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, the
Arab-American National Museum, and participation in the San Diego Breast Cancer Walk. The
group also met with organizations focused on reaching minority groups. These include
ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services), which provides
culturally sensitive public health and breast screening and support services in the Arab-
American community; the Sisters Network, the African-American women’s advocacy and
support group for breast cancer survivors; and the National Latino Cancer Research Network,
a community-based network of organizations that work to reduce cancer health disparities in
Latino communities through education, research and training.

7. Pioneering Breast Cancer Awareness Project Among Arab Women
Continues
As part of its Breast Cancer Awareness
Project, the Galilee Society’s Health Rights
Center is currently registering participants
for a Breast Cancer Prevention and
Treatment course. The course is aimed at
health professionals who work with the Arab
minority in Israel, including doctors, nurses,
social workers and health activists. It will
meet for five sessions in November and
December.
Arab women in Israel suffer from a mortality
rate of more than 70%, according to Dr.
Raymond Menassa. Mesassa is the Director
of the Breast Health Center at the Holy
The Galilee Society breast cancer
Family Hospital in Nazareth and sits on the awareness poster campaign, reading
Steering Committee of the Galilee Society "Early detection... your life is in your
project. In contrast, Jewish Israeli women hands!" gives prevention and detection
have a 5-year survival rate of more than information in Arabic
90%, mainly due to early detection. Far
fewer Arab women survive breast cancer
than Jewish women in Israel.
The course is aimed especially at women health workers and Bedouin nurses, in order to
increase the number of Arab women comfortably obtaining breast cancer exams. The course
will consist of lectures, discussions and workshops designed to train health professionals to be
responsive to the needs of Palestinian Arab women in Israel regarding breast cancer. Course
topics will include a general physical description of breast cancer, the prevalence of breast
cancer among Palestinian women in Israel, the importance of early diagnosis, how to perform
clinical breast checks, cultural and social restrictions preventing breast checks and treatment,
psychological barriers of cancer, and additional training on related common diseases.
The training course is only one part of a multi-faceted breast cancer awareness campaign in
the Arabic language. Other activities include advocacy through the Knesset Health and
Welfare Committee, study days for Arab women, distribution of awareness-raising literature
and posters throughout the country, and the production of a culturally specific film on breast
cancer. The Galilee Society has already raised the majority of necessary project funds, and is
currently fundraising for the final outstanding amount to support the production of the Arabic-
language film that will educate women about prevention, detection and treatment of breast
cancer. To find out more about how to support the production of this film, please see donation
information below, or email Felice Nassar at fnassar@gal-soc.org.

8. Naqab Department Launches Nutrition Campaign in Area Schools
The Galilee Society’s Naqab Department has launched a nutrition campaign with the start of
the new school term. The campaign incorporates Al-Maissam’s research on the benefits of
indigenous plants of the region. It follows the Galilee Society’s successful First Regional
Conference on Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine
that was held in Amman in August.
For the campaign, 2,500 brochures with information
about the uses and beneficial properties of indigenous
plants will be distributed in pharmacies, mother and
childcare centers, national health clinics, and
elementary schools throughout the Naqab. Health days
are also to be held at the elementary schools to
encourage the students to adopt positive behaviors
regarding their health and diet.
The brochures highlight such indigenous plants as:
Garlic
Tests on laboratory animals have demonstrated garlic
oil’s ability to reduce cholesterol in the blood. Garlic also
Palestinian woman gathering
plants lowers blood pressure by expanding the veins. In
addition to its cardiovascular benefits, garlic has
antiseptic properties, aids digestion, and prevents
parasitic infections of the digestive tract.
Chamomile
Traditional Arabic medicine tells us that chamomile flowers may be used to treat bruising, joint
pain, and headaches. Modern uses for chamomile include aiding sleep and treating mild
stomach aches as well as irritable bowels. It is now known that chamomile in fact has anti-
inflammatory properties, and is marketed as a mild sedative. Chamomile tea, like green tea, is
an antioxidant.
Ginger
Ginger is known to aid digestion and to have antiseptic properties. It may have cholesterol
lowering properties as well, though research has been inconsistent. Ginger is more commonly
used to treat nausea, including motion and morning sickness, as it has no harmful effects on
the fetus. Ginger may ease symptoms of the common cold. Traditional medicine prescribes
ginger in other cases such as to treat tension, and insomnia. As a sleep aid, a small amount of
powdered ginger may be added to hot milk while at the same time massaging the body with
olive oil.

9. Barley
A whole grain which is mentioned in the Bible, barley is tolerant of soil salinity and so is more
easily grown in some areas than wheat. Barley was first cultivated in the Levantine region in
the Neolithic era. Whole grain barley, often marketed as a health food, may regulate blood
sugar for up to 10 hours, and provides a healthy amount of dietary fiber. Barley supplies
tryptophan, an essential amino acid in the human diet. Regular barley consumption is good for
blood pressure. Barley is also a good source of potassium and magnesium, sufficient levels of
which help protect against kidney disease.
News in Brief
Researcher Brings New Field of Scientific Research to R&D Center
The Research & Development Center welcomes Dr. Malik Yousef, a researcher in the field of
Bioinformatics. Dr. Yousef joins us after completing his Postdoctoral Fellowship at the
University of Pennsylvania Wistar Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics and Computer
Science from Haifa University. His research brings a new field to the work of the R&D Center.
R&D Center Represented at Several
International Conferences
Dr. Hassan Azaizeh with a German

10. The Galilee Society’s Dr. Hassan Azaizeh Scientist at the University of Hohenheim
presented his research at two international in Stuttgart, Germany
conferences. Dr. Azaizeh’s research on
Selenium in the human diet was included in
the European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research conference held at
Ben Gurion University October 23-25. He also traveled to Germany to present his research on
the treatment of olive mill wastewater at the Progress in Biogas conference held at the
University of Hohenheim September 18-25. Dr Isam Sabbah presented the results of the olive
mill wastewater project at the New Technologies for the Treatment and Valorization of
Agricultural By-Products Conference in Terni, Italy on October 3-5.
New Course for Young Researchers Opens at Al-Maissam
Al-Maissam Medicinal Plant Center has begun two new courses for the Young Researchers’
program involving 40 students from Wadi Salama and Kammana elementary schools. The 30-
week courses will involve meetings at Al-Maissam and at the schools and tours of the
Kammana valley. The students will conduct research under the guidance of Al-Maissam
teachers on environmental health topics such as air and water pollution.
EJC Awards Second Half of Environmental Education Scholarships
The EJC distributed the second installment of the scholarship funds to students of the
environment. To complete the Galilee Society scholarship program, the university students
conducted environmental trainings with students ages 10-14 in their local communities, and
submitted final reports on their activities.
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 Donations
In order to facilitate giving, the Galilee Society has recently received tax-exempt status in the
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 Kassis
Chair, Board of Directors

11. 7 Lee Road, Audubon, PA 19403
United States
kassis25@comcast.net
Tel: +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 Society
Bank Name: PNC Bank
Branch: Audubon Village Shopping Center
Account Number: 86-0943-9642
Please inform Friends of the Galilee Society of your donation:
fnassar@gal-soc.org.
Direct Donations
To donate to the Galilee Society directly, please send checks (in any currency) payable to the
Galilee Society at:
P.O. Box 330
Shefa-Amr, 20200
Israel
Alternatively, bank transfers (in any currency) can be made directly to the Galilee Society's
bank account:
Account Number: 9800
Bank Name: Bank Hapoalim
Branch Number: 731
Bank Address: Jabour Street, Shefa-Amr 20200 Israel
SWIFT Code: POALILIT
Please inform us of your donation at fnassar@gal-soc.org.
The Galilee Society - The Arab National Society for Health Research and Services is a leading
community-based Arab NGO. The overriding goal of the Galilee Society is the achievement of
equitable health and socio-economic conditions for the Palestinian citizens of Israel.
The Galilee Society
P.O. Box 330, Shefa-Amr 20200, Israel
Tel.: +972 4 986 1171
Fax: +972 4 986 1173
Email: admin@gal-soc.org