Current Projects

Community Survey of Palestinians in Israel

The Galilee Society’s Rikaz Databank is currently carrying out its 2006 Community Survey of Palestinians in Israel. This survey covers all localities in Israel with a significant Arab population and data is being collected according to the following categories:

1. Geographic Area and Land Use. Information gathered will determine the size of the locality in dunams (10 dunams is approximately equal to 1 hectare), how ownership is divided, and the area´s land use by sector (i.e., residence, agriculture, industry, commercial).
2. Infrastructure will also be surveyed, including the availability of local services, such as water, electricity, sewage, solid waste, communications systems and roads; current and future capacities and needs will be assessed.
3. Education. Information about educational facilities and resources will be recorded in terms of the availability of schools, number of students per school, presence of asbestos, presence of special education teachers and equipment, and other characteristics.
4. Services. The existence of cultural centers, parks, public libraries, banks, hotels, places of worship, hospitals and clinics, and tourist sites will be catalogued.
5. Residents and Population Density. Information regarding the size and construction date of houses and licensing, as well as city building boundaries determined by the government, will be obtained from local building committees. Zoning information will be collected regarding how and why areas and zoned and future plans, and also in relation to land confiscations.
6. Labor and Industry. This category will include types of labor and industry present in the community, employment rates, and other related information.
7. Local councils. Characteristics of the local councils will comprise another component of the survey, including member number and qualifications, structure, budget, use of technology, etc.
8. Agriculture. This will include land use for plant crops and/or livestock, if the land is connected to water networks, functioning of agricultural cooperatives, problems, and other issues.
9. Community Demographics. Standard demographic information will be collected on the residents of each locality, including population, religious composition and more.
10. Socio-economic Information. Standard socio-economic information will also be collected concerning the residents of each locality, including income, property owned and more.
11. Social and Cultural. Facilities such as theatres, playgrounds, and parks will be surveyed.
12. Institutional Organization and Administration. Public services such as police stations and social welfare offices will be surveyed.
13. Health. The type and number of facilities, doctors and specialized health services will be surveyed, including mother-child clinics, handicapped accessibility, etc.
14. Environment. The environmental situation of each locality will also be surveyed, including potential hazards such as mobile phone electromagnetic radiation antennas, sewage, asbestos, and others.
15. Historical. Structures in each locality of historical interest will be noted.
16. Future Planning. Each local council surveyed will be asked about the set and potential plans, capabilities and needs of each locality as a whole.

After completion of this survey, a study day will be held to disseminate the data and workshops will be held for those active in civil society and NGOs, to train them to use Rikaz data efficiently in their advocacy efforts. A final report as well as special reports on individual communities will also be published. The outcomes of the Community Survey will be used to advance Rikaz´s goal of promoting the use of reliable up to date information in combating discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel.