In light of the events in Acca, the neglect of the Palestinian community in Jaffa issue was raised: after 60 years of land, housing and budget discrimination, this community now faces economical and political gentrification processes. Next to the drastic rise in real estate value, right-wing Jewish families from the settlement project have set out to Judaize the city.
The issue caused turmoil in the group; one member is Palestinian from Jaffa and saw the ‘settlers’ as a direct threat to his family, another member grew up in religious circles and found it difficult to campaign against a religious group. After some discussions, the group agreed on a political message that suited all members and then began preparing the campaign’s actions. In the peak of the preparations, the war on Gaza broke out and the campaign was postponed.
Following the war, it was decided that it was best to separate the campaign according to its targe
t groups: for the Jewish population, the participants opted for a more quiet campaign, handing out flyers which discussed the rising of voices promoting segregation in Jewish society, explaining the dangers comprised in this process and proposing alternatives of partnership, justice and equality. The flyer was produced in 1,500 copies and handed out in the city’s Jewish neighborhoods. As for the Arab population, the campaign was carried out in cooperation with other local groups dealing with the issue. In March and April, there were new developments: the national-religious movement increased its presence in Ajami, the last mainly Arab neighborhood of Jaffa. This involved the creation of a ‘nucleus’ of 20 families grouped around one rabbi and the involvement of the ‘Bemuna’ co. in buying lands. A strong local Palestinian movement was created in order to stop the ‘Bemuna’ co. from achieving its goals in Jaffa.