Jewish Agency Chairman Sharansky Responds to Member of Knesset Odeh's
Statements Against The Jewish Agency
The Jewish Agency for Israel 12.12.15

JERUSALEM - In response to Member of Knesset Ayman Odeh's recent statements
against The Jewish Agency for Israel, Chairman of the Executive Natan
Sharansky has issued the following statement:

"It is unfortunate that members of Knesset from the Joint List are more
interested in scoring cheap and expedient political points than they are in
advancing the wellbeing of their communities.

"Along with our core mission of ingathering the exiles of the Jewish people
via Aliyah, The Jewish Agency is proud to serve all the citizens of Israel,
regardless of religion or ethnicity, which we view as an integral part of
our Zionist vision.

"Thousands of Arab Israeli families enjoy a range of Jewish Agency programs,
including our Youth Futures mentorship program, which has placed a
particular emphasis on schoolchildren in Israel's Arab community; Masa
Israel Journey and Project TEN, which run programs focused on Arab-Jewish
coexistence and on serving underprivileged Arab citizens of Israel; and an
innovative Jewish Agency high school opened just this year for Bedouin youth
in the Negev.

"Thousands of Arab Israelis have already found their way to The Jewish
Agency's programs and to the dedicated professionals and volunteers who run
them. It is high time MK Odeh and his colleagues did the same."