Time for Arab and Jewish Communities of Israel to Come Together
By Yaakov Katz
February 23, 2024
"In May 2021, Israel's mixed Jewish-Arab cities exploded in violence. Streets in Lod, Haifa, Acre, Ramla, and Jerusalem became battlegrounds for clashes between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs. At the time, the Israel Defense Forces were fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip...
"Hundreds of people-Jews and Arabs-were injured and synagogues and storefronts were smashed or burned...
"It is with this backdrop that a profound change is taking place in Israel: Since the Oct. 7 massacre of Israelis by Hamas, Israeli Arabs have not only not rioted, but a majority-according to several polls-support Israel's right to defend itself with a ground offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. One poll, in late December, asked Israeli Arabs if they feel 'part of the State of Israel and its problems.' Sixty-five percent answered that they did, while, before the war, only 48 percent had...
"At least 24 Israeli Arabs were murdered on Oct. 7, illustrating the shared destiny and fate of Arabs and Jews in Israel.
"One casualty was Awad Dawarshe, a paramedic in his 20s who was on shift that morning at the Nova music festival. He refused to evacuate, telling people that he needed to care for the wounded and that his Arabic would save him. It didn't.
"For many Israelis, witnessing Arab citizens embrace a deeper connection with the state fulfills a long-held aspiration for inclusivity and unity. However, the government's response under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu falls short, lacking proactive engagement. Instead of embracing this dramatic change, the government is doing almost no outreach and making no effort to increase cooperation...
"Instead, the government should be actively supporting integration, highlighting activists who are working toward it. There should be more done to encourage Israeli-Arab youth to commit to national service... there are myriad opportunities within civil society, in NGOs, that can really make a difference.
"Failure to capitalize on this transformative moment would have far-reaching consequences. A responsible government would seize the chance to bridge divides and work to advance the integration of Israeli Arabs into the wider society, safeguarding Israel's future for all its citizens. Israel risks squandering this chance, a mistake with potentially grave consequences for us all."
Yaakov Katz is a senior fellow at JPPI, a global think tank for the Jewish people
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.