How a society treats its minorities is another reflection of its democratic values. Committed to providing equality for every citizen is an integral part of Israel's principles and the country strives hard to meet the tough standards that it has set for itself in this regard. Although forced into a constant state of conflict with the Palestinians and much of the Arab world, Israel remains committed to its original promise in the Declaration of Independence that the state would "have equal social and political rights for all of its citizens without differentiating between religion, race and gender."
Israel, as envisioned by the founder of modern political Zionism, Theodore Herzl, was established as a homeland for the Jewish people, and Jews do in fact make up the majority of the population. Nevertheless, Israeli society consists of a multiplicity of cultures, nationalities and religions. Upon its establishment in 1948, Israel, in recognition of this reality, declared its aspiration to be a free and equal society and formally extended a hand in peace to the minorities found within its borders, as well as to its Arab neighbors.
The nascent state also adopted a democratic way of life from the onset and chose to define itself not just as a Jewish state, but as a "Jewish and democratic state". Thus, while dedicated to the implementation of the objective endorsed by the United Nations, to provide a national homeland for the Jewish people, Israel is just as committed to the fulfillment of its other adopted goal, to serve as a progressive democracy with full equality for all of its citizens.
Arabs constitute approximately 20% of Israel's population. In recognition of the fact that its land would be shared by many different inhabitants, Israel, on its first day of independence, proclaimed that:
"(The State of Israel), will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations." (From Israel's Declaration of Independence)
The founders of the state, despite the war initiated against them, called out to the Arabs in Israel: "We appeal, in the very midst of the onslaught launched against us now for months - to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and participate in the building of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions." (From the Declaration of Independence)
By sending this message to its Arab inhabitants, Israel made a deliberate choice to uphold the principles of equality and the protection of the rights of all individuals within its borders. Accordingly, every citizen of Israel is entitled by law to vote and be elected, every person has the right, by law, to follow and maintain his own religion, culture and language and each person is free to live his life as his conscience so directs him.
The majority of Israel's Arab population live in self-contained towns and villages in the Galilee and the Negev, and in mixed urban centers. Israel's Arab community constitutes mainly a working-class sector in a middle-class society, and an Arabic-speaking minority alongside a Hebrew-speaking majority. Essentially non-assimilating, the community's separate existence is facilitated through the use of Arabic, Israel's second official language; a separate Arab school system; Arabic mass media, literature and theater; and maintenance of independent Muslim, Druze and Christian denominational courts that adjudicate matters of personal status.
While customs of the past are still part of daily life, a gradual weakening of tribal and patriarchal authority, the effects of compulsory education and participation in Israel's democratic process are rapidly affecting traditional outlooks and lifestyles. Concurrently, the status of Israeli Arab women has been significantly liberalized by legislation stipulating equal rights for women and prohibition of polygamy and child marriage.
The political involvement of the Arab sector is manifested in national and municipal elections. Arab citizens run the political and administrative affairs of their own municipalities and represent Arab interests through their elected representatives in the Knesset, who operate in the political arena to promote the status of minority groups and their share of national benefits.Israeli Arab village of Furadis
(Photo: Israel Government Press Office / Ya'acov Sa'ar)Housing in the Israeli Arab village of Ara
(Photo: Israel Government Press Office / Moshe Milner)
Israel made a deliberate choice to uphold the principles of equality and the protection of the rights of all individuals within its borders