Bedouin feminist human rights lawyer Hanan Alsanah says her decades of activism have convinced her that women’s leadership and Arab-Jewish partnership are essential to achieving peace and social justice in Israel. Raised in the southern town of Lakiya, she was the only one among her sisters to attend university, defying repeated claims that higher education and leadership were impossible for her. After earning her degree, she dedicated herself to expanding educational, economic, and leadership opportunities for Bedouin women across the Negev.

Alsanah began with literacy and employment initiatives, working alongside community leaders to build support, but concluded that access to jobs and education alone would not secure true independence. She pushed for greater political representation, arguing that while one woman in politics may be pressured to conform, a critical mass of women can transform the system itself. Now considering a political future, she says any meaningful change must rest on equal gender representation, Arab-Jewish cooperation, and a commitment to peace agreements as the basis for security.

After the October 7 attacks, Alsanah helped establish an Arab-Jewish Emergency Relief Center in Rahat that mobilized hundreds of volunteers to aid affected families. She says the effort demonstrated that cooperation is possible even in times of trauma, while also highlighting ongoing discrimination faced by Bedouin communities, particularly in unrecognized villages. Through her legal work, international advocacy, and regional women’s networks, Alsanah continues to promote grassroots peacebuilding, saying 'we need to practice peace' and rebuild society together.