Racism in Israel

Racism in Israel encompasses all forms and manifestations of racism experienced in Israel, irrespective of the colour or creed of the perpetrator and victim, or their citizenship, residency, or visitor status. More specifically in the Israeli context, racism in Israel refers to racism directed against Israeli Arabs by Israeli Jews,[1] intra-Jewish racism between the various Jewish ethnic divisions (in particular against Ethiopian Jews),[2] historic and current racism towards Mizrahi Jews although some believe the dynamics have reversed,[3] and racism on the part of Israeli Arabs against Israeli Jews.

Racism on the part of Israeli Jews against Arabs in Israel exists in institutional policies, personal attitudes, the media, education, immigration rights, housing,[4] social life and legal policies. Some elements within the Ashkenazi Israeli Jewish population have also been described as holding discriminatory attitudes towards fellow Jews of other backgrounds, including against Ethiopian Jews, Indian Jews, Mizrahi Jews, Sephardi Jews, etc. Although intermarriage between Ashkenazim and Sephardim/Mizrahim is increasingly common in Israel, and social integration is constantly improving, disparities continue to persist. Ethiopian Jews in particular have faced discrimination from non-Black Jews. It has been suggested that the situation of the Ethiopian Jews as 'becoming white' is similar to that of some European immigrants like Poles and Italians who arrived in the United States in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.[5]

Israel has broad anti-discrimination laws that prohibit discrimination by both government and non-government entities on the basis of race, religion, and political beliefs, and prohibits incitement to racism.[6] The Israeli government and many groups within Israel have undertaken efforts to combat racism. Israel is a state-party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and is a signatory of the Convention against Discrimination in Education. Israel's President Reuven Rivlin announced to a meeting of academics in October 2014 that it is finally time for Israel to live up to its promise as a land of equality, time to cure the epidemic of racism. "Israeli society is sick, and it is our duty to treat this disease", Rivlin stated.[7]

  1. ^ IRIN; Andreas Hackl (7 September 2012). "ISRAEL-OPT: Upping sticks and heading for Ramallah". IRIN humanitarian news and analysis. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  2. ^ Rosenberg, Oz (18 January 2012). "Thousands in Jerusalem protest racism against Ethiopian Israelis". Haaretz.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ World Report 2012: Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories. Human Rights Watch. 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  5. ^ Kaplan, Steven (October 1999). "Can the Ethiopian Change His Skin? The Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews) and Racial Discourse". African Affairs. 98 (393): 548.
  6. ^ Navot, Suzi, Constitutional law of Israel, p 240
  7. ^ Sales, Ben. (24 October 2014). "New president seeks to cure 'epidemic' of racism". The Times of Israel.