As War Continues, Israel’s Arabs Worry

 Henry Srebrnik, [Halifax] Chronicle Herald

After eight months of war in Gaza, calm has been maintained between the Jewish and Arab sectors in Israel, despite concerns expressed by the political establishments. However, amid the harsh reality of the ongoing conflict, potential dangers could undermine the stability of these delicate relations.

Though Arab citizens have the same legal rights as Jewish Israelis, they suffer from poverty, unemployment, and crime, as well as discrimination in the allocation of budgetary resources, including the distribution of lands and housing.

Many Israeli Jews were terrified and traumatized by Hamas’s massacre and were afraid that the Arab citizens would commit similar acts. Hamas’ military commander Mohammad Deif called on Arabs inside Israel to “set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers.”  These fears never materialized, as the Arab public ignored Hamas’ calls to open a domestic front against Israel.

In practice, most Israel’s Arab citizens denounced unreservedly Hamas’ terror attack and expressed their sense of a shared fate with the Jewish majority and their loyalty to the state in both word and action.

Most Arab citizens of Israel want to continue their lives as an integrated minority in Israel and reject Hamas and its ideology. But the longer this war persists, the greater the anger among the Arab public and an increasing urge to protest against it.

There is a concern that protests and disturbances could increase, leading to clashes between radical, nationalist, and religious groups. A January poll conducted by Israeli statistician Mano Geva found that only 34 per cent of Israel’s Jewish population say they trust the country’s Arab population, and more than 60 per century stated that they are against an Arab party being part of an Israeli government coalition. 

The Institute for National Security Studies regularly conducts public opinion surveys. Its April 2024 poll found that approximately 47 per cent of the Arab population has felt a decline in relations between Jews and Arabs since the outbreak of the war. More than half of the Arab public, 56 per cent, reported feeling a low or very low sense of personal security, which was more than double the rate of the Jewish population.

The war in Gaza has also had a negative impact on the economic well-being of Israeli Arabs, with data showing that this part of the workforce has been more adversely affected than any other. According to a report by the Bank of Israel, the unemployment rate in the Arab sector has sharply risen since the start of the war, particularly among men. Their employment decreased by 27 per cent during this period, largely because of firings and downturns in sectors with a large proportion of Palestinian Israeli workers, compared to 11 per cent among Jewish men.

Employment also suffered due to concerns raised by both Jewish and Arab employees. Surveys indicate that both groups feared that workplace interactions would undermine their sense of personal security. These concerns have also harmed Arab-owned businesses, which have reported a significant drop in demand from Jewish consumers.

A poll conducted by the Konrad Adenauer Program for Jewish-Arab Cooperation at Tel Aviv University last November found 10 per cent of Arab Israelis had personal experience of harassment. A December survey by the Israel Democracy Institute found that 71 per cent of Arabs living in Israel are worried about voicing their views on social media. The survey also found that 84 per cent of respondents feared for their physical safety, while 86 per cent worried about their economic security. 

In addition, budget cuts by Israeli ministries have affected the five-year plan announced in 2021 for Arab society, resulting in a 15 per cent reduction in budgets allocated to the Arab sector. These funds were intended to address years of neglect.

Studies suggest that increasing economic assistance to Arab regional councils, businesses, and those in need will have a positive impact. This should be done alongside efforts to safeguard freedom of speech, address crime and violence, restrain radical elements on both sides, and prevent attacks or clashes between Jews and Arabs that could spark nationwide violence.