Yahya is one of Israel’s roughly 2 million Arab citizens and describes himself as a proud Zionist Muslim Arab. He unashamedly calls Israel “the best country in the world for Arab Muslims.”

This Israeli activist, educator and speaker was born and raised in the city of Umm Al Fahm with a negative view of Israel and the Jewish people. A series of interactions with Jewish Israelis convinced him that he was misled. Yahya decided to join the IDF as a combat infantry soldier and gained a deeper understanding of Israel and its people. Now he works to empower and integrate youth from Israel's Arab minority into society.