High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel

Overview

The High Follow-Up Committee was established sometime between 1982 and 1984, after the events of Land Day in 1976.

Many resolutions have been passed since the establishment of the committee. Notable among these are many declarations calling for the holding of general strikes to protest Israeli policies, and a number of these have been successfully observed.

Manifesto

The High Follow-Up Committee and NCALC published their first manifesto, The Future Vision of the Palestinian Arabs in Israel, in December 2006. The document calls for Israel to be transformed from a Jewish state that privileges its Jewish majority into "a state of all its citizens". It also calls for radical reforms to the national system of land allocation and development, which the authors charge is designed to exclude Palestinian citizens from influence.

Membership

Mohammad Barakeh was the chairman of the High Follow-Up Committee for a decade. In 2025, Rula Daood, co-director of Standing Together, became the first woman to apply to be chairperson but was not able to run after several mayors who had said they would support her name appearing on the ballot withdrew their support. Jamal Zahalka ended up winning the election.

Proposed ban

In 2023, right-wing Israeli lawmakers Limor Son Har-Melech, Zvika Fogel and Amit Halevi tried to ban the organization, accusing its leadership of undermining the Israeli state and supporting terrorism during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis by providing legal assistance to Palestinians who were detained by Israel as agitators. This was in response to allegations printed in the Makor Rishon newspaper. A representative for the office of Israel's State Attorney told the lawmakers an immediate ban was not possible before a formal criminal process against committee members was undertaken. Arab-Israeli politicians Ahmad Tibi, Waleed Alhwashla and Aida Touma-Suleiman viewed the propose ban as an intimidating attack on the Arab community in Israel.

References

Bibliography

References

1. It is "the top representative body deliberating matters of general concern to the entire Arab community and making binding decisions." Although it enjoys ''[[de facto]]'' recognition from the [[State of Israel]], it lacks official or ''[[de jure]]'' recognition from the state for its activities in this capacity. The National Committee of the Heads of Arab Localities (NCALC), the sole non-partisan organization representing the Arab minority in Israel, constitutes the main party in the '''High Follow-Up Committee''' (or '''Follow-Up Committee'''; its shorthand forms).Payes, 2005, p. 112.
2. Yaniv, 1993, pp. 121-122.
3. Cook, Jonathan. (14–20 December 2006). "We didn't disappear". Al-Ahram Weekly.
4. Weidenbach, Vera. (November 16, 2025). "Rula Daood Wanted to Change the Most Important Arab Political Body in Israel, but Was Left Out". [[Haaretz]].
5. (10 July 2023). "Right-wing lawmakers push bill to outlaw Arab umbrella committee". [[Times of Israel]].
6. (10 August 2023). "'The government's goal is to leave Palestinians in Israel without leadership'". [[+972 Magazine]].