Earlier this month, Adalah Attorney Nareman Shehadeh-Zoabi and her infant son arrived at the park and found a new large sign at the entrance reading: "The park is open … to Afula residents only".

Upon learning that they are from the nearby Arab city of Nazareth, a security guard at the park entrance forbade them from entering.

"I felt deeply humiliated by the situation," said Attorney Shehadeh-Zoabi.

"Jewish residents freely walked past me into the very park that I so often enjoyed with my son while I was prevented from entering and forced to leave – simply because I am from the Arab city of Nazareth".

The ban was issued following an explicit election promise by Afula Mayor Avi Elkabetz to act against what he deigned the "conquest of the park" by residents of surrounding Arab towns. He called on the city's Jewish residents to "proudly hoist Israeli flags throughout the park and play music in Hebrew".

The ban was also made public just days after Mayor Elkabetz took part in a protest against the sale of a home in the city to Palestinian citizens of Israel, and after newly-elected city council members were sworn into office pledging to act to preserve the city's Jewish character.

Afula is not the only city endorsing such racial discrimination. In March 2018, the northern town of Kfar Vradim canceled the sale of land for new housing construction after it became clear that more than 50 percent of those purchasing the plots were Palestinian citizens.
 

Meanwhile, hundreds of small communities in Israel are operating "admissions committees", which are authorized by law – in towns no larger than 400 households – to reject applicants based on the criteria of "social suitability" and the towns' "social and cultural fabric", and work in practice to keep Palestinian citizens out. Dozens of them, in towns that have now grown larger than 400 households, are operating these committees illegally.
 

Adalah has launched new legal challenges against all of the above laws and policies, and is continuing to fight against all forms of discrimination, displacement and segregation in Israel to secure just land and housing rights for Palestinian citizens of the state.

Will you support our vital work?

On Thursday, 18 July 2019, you can donate to Adalah through Global Giving on July Bonus Day – when your donations of US $100 and above will be matched by up to 50%!

We will send further reminders and details as the bonus day approaches. Till then, mark your calendars!

You can also separately give a tax-exempt, donor-advised gift to Adalah via the New Israel Fund, including through new online portals in the United States and in Australia.