Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews have drifted further apart on political issues in recent years, according to an ongoing study by Professor Sami Samouha of Haifa University. Arab views are becoming more extreme, after a trend toward moderation in the 1990s.
More than 62% of Israeli Arabs do not believe Israel has a right to exist as a “Jewish and democratic” state. Only 40% agreed that descendents of Arabs who fled pre-state Israel should be allowed to return only to “Palestine,” not to Israel. Over 37% said they do not believe millions of Jews were murdered by the Nazis.
Among Jews, 68.6% said they feel a distance between themselves and Israeli Arabs, and 67.9% said they avoid entering Arab towns in Israel. Nearly one-third supported stripping Israeli Arabs of their right to vote for Knesset, and 51.9% said the majority-Arab Hadash party should be illegal.
More than 62% of Israeli Arabs do not believe Israel has a right to exist as a “Jewish and democratic” state. Only 40% agreed that descendents of Arabs who fled pre-state Israel should be allowed to return only to “Palestine,” not to Israel. Over 37% said they do not believe millions of Jews were murdered by the Nazis.
Among Jews, 68.6% said they feel a distance between themselves and Israeli Arabs, and 67.9% said they avoid entering Arab towns in Israel. Nearly one-third supported stripping Israeli Arabs of their right to vote for Knesset, and 51.9% said the majority-Arab Hadash party should be illegal.