Arab and Jewish Youth Gather in the Wake of Karmiel’s Tragedy

The recent terror attack in Karmiel on July 3, 2024 shocked Israel’s Arab community. In response, youth leaders from the Melah Al-Balad (“The Salt of the Earth”), an Arab youth leadership movement, which provides training, mentoring, and development opportunities spanning from education to employment, gathered together with their Jewish peers.

High schoolers met in Deir al-Asad, an Arab village in the Galilee region close to Karmiel, for an activity to promote peace and show solidarity. Their banners declared: “We, Melach Al-Balad youth from Nahaf and Deir al-Asad, choose good neighborliness even in tough times. We will not yield to violence and incitement.” This initiative underscores their commitment to cooperation amidst challenging circumstances.

Melach Al-Balad operates across nine Arab communities in Israel,² engaging over 300 teenagers. During the weekly meetings, the program focuses on three core areas: IT skills, informal education, and language. Participants learn programming skills and gain vocational training, strengthen their ties to Arab and Israeli communities through educational activities, and enhance their Hebrew proficiency. Upon completing the program, graduates undertake an IT project of significant social relevance. Additionally, they give back to their communities by volunteering locally.

Inas Zbida, the program director, emphasizes the overwhelming demand for participation, reflecting the community’s eagerness to empower its youth and build bridges across cultural divides. Looking ahead, “Salt of the Earth” plans to introduce a transition year to support alumni in their academic and professional pursuits.

² Shefa-Amr, Kafr Kanna, Sakhnin, Sha’ab, Deir al-Asad, Nahf, Daburiyya, Kafr Manda