The Palestinian Citizens of Israel

Who Are They?

There are 1.9 million Palestinian citizens of Israel, representing 21% of the total Israeli population. They comprise the largest ethnic minority in Israel and are mostly confined to exclusively Palestinian localities in the northern part of the country, with some major population centers in the center on the border with the West Bank. They are fluent in both Arabic and Hebrew. Unlike Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, they have an Israeli citizenship in the country and have access to certain civil rights in Israel. However, they still face significant systemic discrimination.

Challenges They Face

Discriminatory Legislation

• ‍Nation-State Law – a Basic Law (giving it constitutional authority) that effectively defines Israel as a state solely for the Jewish people, practically declaring all other minorities within the state - particularly its Palestinian citizens - to be second class citizens. It demoted the status of the Arabic language from being an official language in Israel and declares the “right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.”
• ‍Citizenship Law - prevents Palestinians and residents of “enemy states” (namely the West Bank and Gaza) from gaining citizenship, or permanent residency, through marriage to an Israeli citizen. This law constitutes an undue restriction on family life for the affected Palestinian population and prevents the unification of Palestinian families.
• ‍Kaminitz Law - criminalizes building violations and intensifies enforcement of the law through increased home demolitions, larger fines, and heavier sentences for offenders. The Israeli government’s deliberate unwillingness to approve master plans for Palestinian Arab localities and distribute building permits has left many Palestinian Arab citizens with no option other than to build and inhabit structures that are not officially recognized (i.e. without a permit). Hence, the law disproportionately affects Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel and severely stifles development in Palestinian Arab localities. This law is one of the major driving forces behind the demolitions threatening the residents of Jisr AzZarqa – the poorest locality in Israel - and the Bedouin community in the Negev.

‍Socio-Economic Discrimination

• There is not a single university or higher education institution in any Palestinian locality in Israel.
• There are little to no industrial zones in Palestinian localities in Israel as the government refuses to approve development plans for Palestinian municipalities. Only $66M of the $3B generated in business property taxes in Israel go to Palestinian localities in Israel.

Police Brutality

• There has been a significant escalation of police brutality against Palestinian citizens of Israel in recent years.
• Palestinian citizens are 36 times more likely to be shot by Israeli police than Jewish citizens.
• Even Palestinian Parliament Members and mayors in Israel have been victims of police brutality over the past couple of years.
• 2,600 Palestinian citizens, including over 300 minors, were arrested in May of 2021 during a brutal crackdown on peaceful protests condemning the forced evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and the war on Gaza.
• Since 2000, over 90 Palestinian citizens have been unjustly killed by police, with most incidents ending with no indictment or consequence for the police officers involved.