Arab society in Israel is concerned about the outcome of the latest national elections and the current right wing government, and the possible repercussions for relations between the Arab minority on the one hand and the state and the Jewish majority on the other. Even if most Arab citizens are rather indifferent to Israeli politics, they seek to continue their integration in society; moreover, this trend represents a clear interest of the Arab sector, the Jewish majority, and the state. Arab public and political expressions and...
The results of the recent elections to the 25th Knesset, even before the establishment of a new government, create a likely basis for governmental stability, which could well facilitate long-term planning and more effective management of critical national security issues. A central question in this context is the future influence of the Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit parties on the public mood and on decisions regarding sensitive issues, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Jewish-Arab relations in Israel, and in...
Among other social barometers, the results of the November 1 elections to the 25th Knesset provide an insight on relations between Israel’s Jewish majority and Arab minority. Arab voter turnout was higher than expected, indicating an ongoing motivation of the majority of Arab citizens to integrate into the country’s fabric. At the same time, the rate of those who abstained from voting or voted for the nationalist Balad party in higher numbers than before also suggest a sense of apathy toward the Israeli political system and a...
The State Comptroller’s report on cities with mixed Jewish and Arab populations during the May 2021 riots focused on two main subjects: faults in the preparedness and conduct of Police and Border Police forces in the context of insufficient intelligence for effective detection, prevention, and management; and substantial disparities in municipal spending to the detriment of the Arab population in the so-called “mixed cities.” The convergence between the two issues may help explain the severity of the events and the extent of the...
Two of the attacks in the current wave of terror were carried out by three Arab citizens of Israel who identified with ISIS / Islamic State. However, the organization has not gained a grip on the Arab public in Israel, and while predictably it took credit for the attacks, it was not involved beyond providing inspiration. The assessment is that these trends are not expected to change. Noteworthy is the comprehensive public condemnation by Israel’s Arab citizens of the recent attacks, and above all, the condemnation of the attacks...
Three seminal developments shaped the domestic arena in Israel over the past year. The first was the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, marked by changing intensities and Israel’s successful vaccination campaign. The second was Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021, which posed difficult challenges to Israel both militarily vis-à-vis Hamas in Gaza and domestically, with violent clashes between Arabs and Jews in Israel. The third was the formation of the new Israeli government.
The government’s long-term plans to curb crime in Arab society and encourage social and economic development in the sector have created a confluence of interests between the state and Arab society and its leaders, and a rare opportunity to transform the relations between the Jewish majority and the Arab minority. Smart implementation of these plans could not only mitigate underlying root problems, but also diminish the tension between Arabs and Jews, strengthen internal stability, improve personal security, and allay the mutual fears...
The strategic assessment for Israel for 2021 is shaped by significant uncertainty in three principal areas: the level of success in coping with COVID-19; the modus operandi and policies of the new administration in the United States; and the political developments in Israel. The current assessment is based on a broader conception of national security, which places greater weight than in the past on the domestic arena and on threats to internal stability, social cohesion, values, and fabric of life. This of course does not detract...
The Framework The Israeli government must make a commitment to adopt an official policy that makes the fight against violence and organized crime in the Arab sector a leading national priority and approve an integrative, multi-year, budgeted work plan for the full implementation of this policy.
The background to the phenomenon of the pervasive violence is complex and grounded in many factors. At their base are serious societal challenges as well as neglect and an ongoing lack of governance on the part of the state. As a...
At the start of H. E. President Isaac Herzog’s term of office, and following the many global and local developments and changes over the past six months – including a new administration in Washington, President Biden’s decision to try to return to the nuclear deal with Iran, the formation of a new government in Israel, and growing tensions in Israeli society, including clashes between Arabs and Jews in Israeli cities – the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) presented to President Herzog highlights on the main strategic...
Against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing political crisis, including the formation of a government coalition without the participation of an Arab party, the legitimacy of the Arab voice grew in the eyes of most Jewish parties, both left and right. The process began with hesitant interest on the part of the center-left bloc to include Arab representation in the coalition, continued with a vigorous attempt by Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu to draw in the Arab public in order to gain a Knesset majority, and culminated in a coalition...
