Promoting Shared Society
By Michal Sella
The Boston Globe
December 27, 2025
"…Since Israel’s independence more than 77 years ago, relations between its Jewish and Arab citizens have been complex, sometimes fragile…
"Arabs within Israel were caught between their Israeli and Palestinian identities. Many Israeli Arabs have families in Gaza and the West Bank. They aspire to improve their daily lives, to more fully participate in Israeli society, but also desire a negotiated sustainable peace between their country, Israel, and the Palestinian people…
"A national survey conducted earlier this year by Givat Haviva found 72 percent of Jewish Israelis do not trust most Arab citizens, and 43 percent of Arabs say the same of Jews. The survey results show how much work is needed for healing in each community, to rebuild faith in one another and to restore cooperation among Israeli citizens who care deeply about the future of our country…
"The violence between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel that erupted during the May 2021 conflict in Gaza between Israeli forces and Hamas did not recur after October 7. This lack of violence was due to years of deliberate work by educators, local leaders, and NGOs to strengthen community ties… At Givat Haviva, an organization that has led education programs since 1949 to advance Jewish-Arab relations, we have seen how those relationships have endured…
A cohesive Jewish-Arab society is not just a moral goal. It is a strategic necessity for Israel’s stability, prosperity, and democracy. With a cease-fire in Gaza now in place, there is talk of expanding the Abraham Accords normalizing relations between Israel and Arab nations. Stronger relations between Arabs and Jews inside Israel could well make it easier for Israel to improve its relations with its Arab neighbors outside Israel.”
Michal Sella is the CEO of Givat Haviva, an educational center promoting a shared Jewish-Arab society in Israel.
About Heart of a Nation
Empowering the next generation of American, Israeli, and Palestinian change-makers to embrace better, together.
אנחנו מכנסים הוגים מובילים, פעילים חברתיים, ומחוללי שינוי לעתיד, אמריקאים, ישראלים ופלסטינאים, המחויבים לשיפור החברות שלהם.
نحن أمريكيون وإسرائيليون وفلسطينيون نبني ونكوّن روابط من أجل التعلم والتفكير والمشاركة معًا حتى نشجع الحلول التقدمية بشأن القضايا التي تهمنا جميعًا.