The following speech was given by NIF International Board Member and expert in Arab-Jewish relations, Dr. Nasreen Haddad Haj-Yahya, to Israel’s President Isaac Herzog on the occasion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, 2025.
Good evening to you, Mr. President, Mrs. Herzog, and all the distinguished guests and Ramadan Mubarak.
The fact that I’m speaking in front of you today is anything but obvious. In these difficult days, that are unfortunately filled with so much pain, polarization, violence, fear, and loss, the Office of the President is possibly the last formal institution that we, in Arab society, feel we can still have a productive dialogue with. And yet, I have to admit that it was a hard decision for me to come and as you can see, I’m reading from paper with every word measured, since I know each word I will say will make someone squirm in their chair. The situation is far from comfortable and we need to look reality in the eye.
I chose to be here because this is such an important stage, which I’m not willing to leave to the radicals, to those who taught us that everything is a zero-sum-game. It’s time to change this perception and I have come here to put on the table the discourse I have always promoted—one that is not confrontational, not victimizing, and also not utopian or naïve. A realistic discourse of partnership.
In the short time I have, I want to focus the spotlight on the rampant crime in our society. It’s difficult to grasp this reality while sitting in this esteemed house, but I live in Tayibe, in a jungle-like reality—just as so many other other Arab communities do. After a certain hour, we do not leave our homes. Even during the daytime, a sense of security is far from guaranteed. We think twice before stepping outside.
Trust in law enforcement institutions has eroded within Arab society—and rightfully so. In the past year and a half, more than 300 Arab citizens have been murdered, an unprecedented record, while law enforcement authorities neither serve us nor protect us—though that is, of course, their role. Meanwhile, criminals continue to roam freely and live comfortably within our communities.
Crime in Arab society is closely tied to the issue of idle youth in our communities. For over fifteen years, I have been researching the lack of integration of Arab youth, as they are the driving force behind much of the crime as well as its primary victims. And I can tell you—the prevailing feeling among young Arabs is one of detachment and despair. It isn’t just about the lack of employment and education; it is a deep sense of alienation and hopelessness for a future devoid of promise.
It is our responsibility—all of us sitting here—to create a horizon for them, to make them feel that they belong. This is the most effective long-term approach to tackling the issue of violence. This is within the many governmental investments over the past decades, implemented by outstanding public servants who give us hope—even while there are some politicians who attempt to cut these budgets.
It’s easy to be given a platform to talk about issues such as violence and crime or the lack of integration into the job market. It’s much harder to be given a platform to discuss the factors that have exacerbated these issues—such as institutional discrimination, the absence of zoning plans in Arab towns, the fact that young couples cannot secure mortgages, and the existence of a gray market and a parallel economy.
Honorable guests, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the broader context in which we are living these days. I have 500 family members in Gaza—500 people left homeless, surrounded by total destruction. Just as easily, I could have been there, living in tents, suffering from hunger and disease. But I live here, in Israel, as a citizen—not one with equal rights, but a full citizen who creates and dreams here. And I feel the pain of both sides, as many of my Jewish friends were harmed and murdered on October 7.
Belonging to both sides is an inseparable part of my identity and shapes the way I view what happened before, during, and after the disaster of October 7. And like me, there are many on both sides who have experienced unimaginable loss, including entire communities that need to be rehabilitated on both sides and the hostages that must be brought back home now.
I have many Jewish friends, like Avivit, my partner in running the NAS research consultancy, which we built together. We face challenges together and work together to create a better world for our children and the next generation—not out of naïveté and not by avoiding tensions and disagreements. This is why we have managed to keep our sanity even in the surreal reality that surrounds us. We act out of a deep belief that there must be a different future here.
In times like these, it’s incredibly difficult to talk about peace, to envision solutions. But that is precisely the role of institutions like the President’s House and of leadership and civil society in our communities. Our mission is not just to reflect reality but also to create a vision. That vision must cease to be one of eternal war.
In the Jewish tradition—something many who claim to speak in its name have strayed from—the concept of peace is ever-present: in prayers, in sacred texts, in Halakha. And in a mirror image, this is also true of my religion, of my Islam—a faith of justice and compassion, kindness and repairing the world.
It’s incredibly difficult to change reality without holding a position of power that enables such change. At the end of the day, there is no substitute for authentic political representation. Unfortunately, in Israel 2025, there is still no legitimacy within the political system for our authentic political representatives, who should be full partners in decision-making circles and positions of power. It’s about time to change this mindset—only together can we build a better, more just country.
I believe that the forces of evil have been given, and continue to be given, far too much space and a platform. Now it’s our turn. The turn of the positive forces in both nations. It’s also your turn—the distinguished diplomats from Arab countries and Western countries who are here—to help us build together a new narrative: one of shared destiny, of a shared homeland. Because, truly, another way is possible.
Dr. Nasreen Haddad-Haj Yahya. A researcher, lecturer, senior consultant and renowned expert on Arab society and majority-minority relations in Israel