The Knesset, Israel's parliament, is preparing to host seven Arab journalists living in Europe in an effort to open communication lines, Israel Hayom has learned.
The journalists are Egyptian, Lebanese, Algerian and Moroccan nationals employed by the i24 news network, Egypt's Al-Ahram Weekly, and other Arabic-language media outlets in France and Belgium.
They are scheduled to visit the Knesset as part of an initiative promoted by the Israeli Embassy in Paris.
Journalist Nader Allouche, whose father is Lebanese and mother is Algerian, explained why he decided to accept the embassy's invitation in a recent article in the Huffington Post Maghreb, an online publication popular in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
The piece was titled "Why I agreed to go to Israel: The Arabs' revival will begin with the willing and earnest recognition of Israel."
In it, Allouche wrote that his education "did not allow me to consider Israel as a fait accompli. It was like a thorn stuck in my foot – something difficult to remove, but something we have no doubt that we can remove because demographics are in our favor."
He said the geopolitical situation in the Middle East required a review of this position.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein welcomed the initiative, saying, "We invite these journalists to see firsthand the beating heart of the only true democracy in the Middle East. If this contributes to any change, as small as it may be, in the way Arab media views Israel – that would be enough."
The delegation will be hosted by Knesset Labor, Welfare and Health Committee Chairman MK Elie Elalouf (Kulanu). The visitors will meet with Regional Cooperation Minister Tzahi Hanegbi and other Israeli officials.
The journalists are also slated to visit the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation.
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