The Arab citizens of Israel motivations for collective action

Abstract

Israeli Arabs are torn between their Palestinian identity and their Israeli citizenship. Discrimination against Arabs is evident in numerous aspects of Israeli society such as the declaration of the country as a Jewish state, unequal state funding of Arab and Jewish programs, and the expropriation of Arab lands. Most studies of collective action and social mobilization predict that repressed groups will eventually mobilize if inclusion in the political process is denied. This has not been the case among Israeli Arabs because they are allowed to vote, but there are still many rights that are reserved for the Jewish majority. Discriminatory policies against Israeli Arabs may serve as short term solutions for the Jewish majority, but they will also create long term problems for the state. This research will use social movement theory to analyze the situation of Israeli Arabs in order to determine the probability for their collective action against the state. The conclusion states that, among Arab citizens, a regional Palestinian identity is beginning to overshadow the Israeli identity. A new generation of educated and disgruntled Israeli Arabs is rising up to take ownership of the new identity which could lead to future collective action against the state.