The rise in the number of homicide victims in Arab society since the current government was inaugurated in early 2023 continues unabated. The number of people murdered in the first half of 2024—more than 100—is similar to the same period last year and is double the number during the first six months of 2022. The impression is that the entire issue of crime in Arab society is absent from the agenda of both the government and law-enforcement bodies, as well as from media coverage and the public discourse. Crime organizations have large...
One of the encouraging phenomena in Israeli society during the ongoing war in Gaza is the stability and mutual restraint that have so far characterized relations between Jews and Arabs. This is especially noteworthy given the internal tensions inherent in these relations, and given the fierce fighting in the Gaza Strip against Israeli Arabs’ fellow Arabs. The restraint of Arab society lies in the fact that the overwhelming majority see themselves as an integral part of Israeli society and seek to integrate in the country in all areas...
The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) conducted a public opinion survey on relations between Jews and Arabs in Israel during the war in Gaza, also known as Swords of Iron.[1] What follows is a summary of the main findings. Over half the Jewish and Arab public in Israel feel a change for the worse in relations between them since the start of the war (Figure 1). Of the Jewish public, 11.5 percent feel a change for the better, 29 percent feel no change, while about half (50.5 percent) feel a change for the worse; 9...
Maintaining quiet between Jews and Arabs is clearly in the interests of Israel’s Jewish society, Arab society, and the state as a whole, especially in a time of war. All the relevant parties must act to ensure that there is no slide into violence of any kind, since that would help Israel’s enemies and cause immediate and future harm to national security. This must be the guiding principle for every decision that it taken with respect to the Arab minority in Israel and Jewish-Arab relations.
It was reported recently that the Minister of Finance intends to cut back allocations for the five-year development plans for Arab society that were already approved. These intentions contradict existing policy dating from 2015 designed to encourage socioeconomic enhancement of Arab society in Israel, based on a macroeconomic rationale and the necessary integration of the country’s large Arab minority. The explanations given are unsubstantiated and reflect an estranging approach of extreme nationalism. Realization of the Minister’s...
The INSS Insight “Why Don’t Arab Citizens Join the Protest Movement against the Proposed Judicial Overhaul?” attributes the lack of participation by Israeli Arabs in the protests against the judicial overhaul largely to indifference and alienation. The results of a February 2023 survey and a closer analysis, however, reveal a complex interplay of factors that hinder this sector’s involvement. These factors include geographical distance, historical experiences of repression, feelings of alienation, skepticism regarding the inclusivity...
Since Israel’s current government was established in later December 2022, the number of homicides in the Arab society has more than doubled compared to the same period the previous year. Given the slowdown in crime and the drop in the number of homicides among Arab citizens recorded last year, it now seems that the government is not prioritizing crime in the Arab sector. If the government does not take immediate action to deal effectively with this severe challenge, which poses a threat to domestic security, the situation is likely...
Since the outbreak of the widescale, unprecedented public protests sparked by the government’s proposed judicial overhaul, the Arab public has avoided any active or mass involvement in the events. This is a noteworthy phenomenon, because Arab citizens of Israel, who comprise one fifth of the country’s population, might well be the first to be adversely impacted, individually and collectively, if and when the judicial overhaul is enacted. The occasional calls made by a few Arab leaders to take part in the protest have generally been...
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...
Current Israeli Strategy – Could change with the new government, especially regarding the essentials of the democratic regime, checks and balances, and ways to enhance internal security | Israel’s Strategic Gap – Insufficient systemic treatment of various domestic challenges, such as the need to advance the Arab community, improve personal security, and increase home front preparedness for man-made and natural emergencies | Recommended Strategy – Maintain substantive democracy as the needed basic framework for...
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 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...
