A small group of British Muslim community leaders and politicians on a short visit to Israel managed to squeeze in a visit to Givat Haviva and tour the surrounding area. Group organizer Fiyaz Mughal is chair of the Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats and Deputy President of Lib-Dems and on close terms with Givat Haviva's representative in Britain, Fiona Sharpe. The other members of the group were: Haras Rafique, Sufi Muslim Council leader and member of the Fighting Extremism Task Force and who directs Crescent Networks, a research agency dealing particularly with extremism. He has been involved in compiling important reports on the Muslim community in Britain, attended and was involved in organizing a Jakarta based world wide conference looking at Islam and Civil Societies in the 21st century, and also advised former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw – amongst many other involvements. Azhar Ali, is a former Labor leader of Pendle Council and whose advice is often sought on issues affecting Britain's Muslim community. Sayeeda Warsi, Vice-Chair of the Conservative party with responsibility for cities. A former vice-president of the British student union she was instrumental in the launch of the Operation Black Vote in West Yorkshire in 1996, and stood as a Parliamentary Candidate in the 2005 general election. Ms. Warsi, a solicitor, has been and still is involved in different organizations struggling for racial equality in Britain, and also a speaker on issues as varied as forced marriages, prison conditions and business network links at a national level. She regularly shares a speaker's platform with Parliamentarians both from the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and has worked overseas whilst researching the issue of forced marriages for the Ministry of Law in Pakistan.
She has also worked closely with the Savayra Foundation, a women's empowerment charity.
A former mayor of Oldham, Councilor Riaz Ahmad, chairman of Oldham NHS Primary Care Trust and a serving magistrate, was also with the group. Being as the only chink in the tight schedule for the group with regard to a visit to Givat Haviva fell on a Shabbat when there was little activity on campus – other than painters and decorators readying the campus for the summer groups – we sat in the 'madafi' of the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace and discussed the various educational programs directed by the center. Yale University student Danielle Gilbert, a past volunteer at Givat Haviva and in the process of undertaking a five week research project on the Muslim community of Barta'a village in the vicinity of Givat Haviva, explained her university research project to the guests – who showed great interest in receiving copies of her work when completed and Danielle promised to keep them posted. The group was very lively and showed a great deal of interest in the activities of Givat Haviva and relationships between the Jewish and Arab staff members. During a tour of the region, the British folks had the opportunity to visit Harish, cross over the l967 border nearby the new Jewish community of Mitzpeh Ilan (named after the late Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, travel a length of the new road between Harish and Reichan and call in at the Reichan checkpoint in the security fence. At the fence they met with Palestinians who had either crossed through the checkpoint, or were waiting to do so, and spontaneous conversations struck up with a number of the Palestinian people waiting there.
The group also visited the Katzir observation platform overlooking both portions of Barta'a village (divided by the l949 so called Green Line) and because time was pressing – they were due for lunch in Nazareth with local people – it was then a straight drive through Wadi Ara (with explanations along the way of course) to Megiddo and on to Nazareth. When dropping off staff member and guide Lydia Aisenberg at her kibbutz abode, the group said they were grateful for the opportunity of visiting Givat Haviva and of being able to meet so spontaneously with those they spoke to along the tour route. In an email received upon their return to Britain, Fiyaz Mughal wrote to Lydia at the International Department: "Thank you for taking my colleagues and I on the 'Green Line' trip. I can say that I was enthused by the talk as well as moved by what is taking place. Your talk is straightforward and shows what the wall is doing. "I was also taken by your energy and drive and would like to bring over a further group of Muslims to spend more time in Givat Haviva and go through the excellent tour that you gave." He also added a postscript. "I wore my Givat Haviva T-shirt with pride this Saturday in North London."
*Note: the visit took place shortly before the eruption of the current violence in the North
