Growing Sense of Shared Destiny Between Jews and Arabs in Israel, Survey Reveals

A recent survey conducted by the Konrad Adenauer Program for Jewish-Arab Cooperation at Tel Aviv University’s Moshe Dayan Center has shown a significant shift in attitudes among Arab citizens of Israel, indicating growing solidarity between Jews and Arabs amidst the ongoing multi-front war. The survey, released on Wednesday, found that 57.8% of Arab Israelis, including Muslims, Druze, and Christians, now believe that the war has fostered a shared sense of destiny between Jewish and Arab citizens.

This marks a notable increase from June 2024, when 51.6% of Arab Israelis expressed similar sentiments, reflecting an upward trend in solidarity. In contrast, in November 2023, nearly 70% of Arab Israelis felt that the war had negatively impacted the relationship between Arab and Jewish citizens.

Despite this growing sense of unity, the survey also highlighted a weakening sense of belonging to the Israeli state among Arab citizens. Over a third (39.4%) of respondents reported that their sense of belonging to Israel had diminished since the start of the war on October 7, 2024, while only 17.4% stated that their connection to Israel had strengthened as a result of the conflict.

The survey also delved into questions of identity, revealing that 33.9% of Arab Israelis regard their Israeli citizenship as the most important aspect of their personal identity, a notable increase during the war. Meanwhile, only 9% emphasized their Palestinian identity as the dominant component, and 26.9% cited their Arab identity as most important.

Perspectives on Gaza’s Future and Regional Relations

As for the future governance of Gaza post-war, opinions among Arab Israelis appear divided. While less than half (43.2%) of respondents believe that Gaza should remain under Palestinian control, there has been a decline in this belief since June 2024, when 58.5% supported Palestinian governance. Interestingly, 45.1% of Arab Israelis favor external, non-Palestinian governance of Gaza, with 17.9% supporting Israeli control and 7.1% backing Arab states taking leadership.

Additionally, the survey revealed that more than half (53.4%) of Arab Israelis view a potential normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia as a positive regional development. A near-equal percentage (49.2%) believe that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should not be a precondition for such an agreement.

Political Engagement and Security Concerns

In the political sphere, over 70% of Arab Israelis support the inclusion of an Arab party in the Israeli government following the next elections, and half of the Arab public is open to joining any government coalition, not just a center-left one. However, the survey also noted concerns about personal security, with nearly two-thirds of Arab Israelis reporting a diminished sense of safety due to crime within their communities and the ongoing war.

Dr. Arik Rudnitzky, project manager of the Konrad Adenauer Program, emphasized that despite the turbulence of the current situation, there are meaningful shifts taking place in the relationship between Arabs and Jews in Israel. He pointed out that the war has prompted Arab citizens to appreciate their Israeli citizenship more, signaling a willingness to collaborate in rebuilding Israeli society post-war.

Conclusion

The survey underscores a complex, evolving landscape for Arab citizens in Israel, where the current conflict appears to have both strained and strengthened their ties with the Jewish majority. As the region moves through these challenging times, the survey suggests that Arab Israelis are increasingly inclined to work together with their Jewish counterparts to reshape Israeli society in the aftermath of the war.