Dr. Thabet Abu Rass is the former Co-Executive Director of The Abraham Initiatives, an NGO that promotes equality and Jewish-Arab partnership in Israeli society.

Dr. Abu Ras obtained his Ph.D. in the field of Regional Development & Middle East Studies from the University of Arizona in 1997. He is a political geographer and a former lecturer in the Department of Geography and Environmental Development at Ben Gurion University and at Sapir College, and has taught courses on ethnic relations, land, planning, and regional development.

Dr. Abu Rass is an expert on Palestinian citizens of Israel and Arab-Jewish relations. He played a central role in the process of creating the "Future Visions" of Palestinian citizens of Israel and co-authored three of the future vision documents which have provided a road map for the status, engagement, and demands of Arab society in Israel. He is a prominent voice in promoting the rights of the Bedouins of the Negev. He served as co-chair of the board of the Hand in Hand schools in Israel and is a member of several prominent NGOs in Israel, including The Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel.