As a city council member in the Tel Aviv Municipality from the Meretz Party, Ahmad Mashharawi is always looking to build partnerships between Jews and Palestinians and to enhance the rights of Palestinian residents in Jaffa. Mr. Mashharawi participated in the Change Agent Course for Up and Coming politicians as part of the “Creating Change Agents: Palestinian and Israeli Professionals in Dialogue and Action” program. He said several times that participating in the course motivated and empowered him to initiate new innovative projects that advance cooperation between Jews & Palestinians citizens of Israel. As part of the course he initiated the naming of a square in Jaffa, after a famous doctor who contributed to society before 1948.

On February 26, 2012 there was a ceremony in Jaffa to name a square in the honor of Dr. Fuad Ismail Dajani who was a famous doctor who established and directed a private hospital in Jaffa before 1948. A moving ceremony was held with 20 of the Dajani family members coming from 10 countries all over the world. Sunday’s dedication was a rare moment of recognition in Israel for the Palestinian and their past — in this case, it was the contribution of the esteemed surgeon from a prominent Palestinian family whose members are scattered across the globe.

The ceremony, conducted in Hebrew, Arabic and English, went off smoothly and with much emotion. A 93-year-old Israeli woman who served as a nurse at the hospital came forward and was warmly welcomed by the doctor’s children. An Arab-Jewish women’s choir sang a haunting Arab song, and the mayor of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Ron Huldai, greeted the Dajanis Family calling the naming of the square “an attempt to fight the cruel forgetfulness brought by time.”

300 people, Jews & Palestinians from Israel and from other countries participated. Ron Huldai with Omar Dejani, the youngest son of Dr. Dajani, unveiled the memorial stone. Choking back tears, Omar Dejani said he hoped the day’s events would be “an example to the two peoples, descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael, to whom God promised this land, that like the healer we are honoring, we will heal the wounds of our differences and find a way to live in peace and harmony in this holy land.”

It was the first time in history that a Palestinian figure that lived in Palestine before 1948 was honored and memorialized, with the presence of relatives who became refugees.

Advancing the naming a square in Jaffa for Dr. Fuad Ismail Dajani a Palestinian doctor that established a hospital there before 48 war was a very important symbolic act. In Israeli society, Arabs are not recognized for their contributions to society. This project opened the door to more public recognition/naming for Arabs who made significant contributions to society. Ahmad Mashharawi said in the event: “An injustice done to the family is being righted. There are 400 streets in the city with Jewish names. We have to remind people that we’re together here in Jaffa. Don’t erase my Arab identity. It’s a small and symbolic step, but important. It makes you feel that you belong.”

Creating Change Agents: Israelis and Palestinians Up and Coming Politicians in Dialogue and Action” was made possible with the generous support of USAID and the American People in cooperation with the School for Peace at Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam and Tawasul.