Lecture #8: Israeli Society

Isabell Schierenbeck, Department of Political Science

The powerpoint file will be posted shortly at http://kursportal.student.gu.se/inst/S2GLS%7C_%7CNONE/RS2235/filuppladdning/browse2.php?dir=Kursmoment%2FLecture+notes+and+ppt

Opening Note: Isabell began this lecture in March. As a result, she briefly reviewed what she had already covered before moving on to the cleavage between Jews and Palestinians in Israeli society.

Cleavages in Israeli Politics
- Jews-Palestinians (approximately 20% of the Israeli population consists of Arab Israelis.)
- Ashkenazim (European/ American/ Russian Jews)- Mizrachim (Middle Eastern and North African Jews)
- Religious (Ultra-orthodox and orthdox Jews and Muslim Arabs)- Secular
- Sabra (Native-born Israelis)- Immigrants
- Left- Right

- In exploring each of the above cleavages, we will discuss what the conflict of interest is about, who is represented in each group and where they live, as well as forms of mobilization and political behavior.

Is the Israeli case exceptional?
- No.
- Although many see the Israeli case as exceptional it is not.
- Israeli is no more special than other countries and should not be treated as unique.
- If Israel were exceptional, it would be much more difficult to resolve the conflict.

Jews-Palestinians

Conflict of Interests
- land
¤ internal refugees
¤ 70% of Palestinian land has been confiscated and continues to be confiscated. This is due, in part, to the traditional practice of not using written land contracts. the Israeli government also confiscated land for "security reasons" and because it is considered "abandoned."
¤ In addition, Palestians cannot live and build where ever they want.
- work
¤ Many Palestinian farmers had land confiscated and had to find other work in low skill professions and jobs.
¤ However, Palestinians are doing better and better economically.
¤ Nevertheless, discrimination still exists.
- immigration
¤ Jews have "the right of return".
¤Palestinian citizenship is strictly limited and regulated.
¤ Palestinian citizenship is limited in order to maintain a Jewish majority.
- discrimination in general (cp military service)
¤ Palestinians do not have the right to participate in military service for "security reasons".
¤ Unfortunately for Palestinians, many social benefits are tied to military service and military service is incredibly important in Israeli-society and politics.
¤ Although Palestinians are taxed at the same level as non-Palestinians, they receive vastly unequal access to and funding for social services such as education, infrastructue, etc.

Mobilization and Political Parties/ Organizations
- 1948-1966: military control over the Israeli-Palestinian population.
- 1967, Six-Day War: greater awareness about the "Palestinian Question", different Arab parties emerge.
- Land Day, 30 March 1976: protest over land confiscation in the Galilee.
- Human rights groups emerge, mainly after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982
- 1990s: Katzir case; Beduin campaigns
- Palestinians experienced limited political mobilization prior to 1966.

From Zionist Parties to Arab Parties
- In the 2006 election, 70% of Israeli-Arabs vote for Arab parties.

- Democratic Arab Party (DAP), moderate
- Hadash (former communist party, oldest "Arab" party), Jewish-Arab, moderate, secular
- Balad (Azmi Bishara), nationalist, "radical"
- Islamic movement, division between the north and south, the south with DAP

- The number of Arab parties and fragmentation of these parties is problematic and stiffles unity but it could also be thought of as a sign of a healthy difference of opinion among Arab voters.
- In Israel, a party only needs 2% of the vote to get into the Knesset. (In comparison, a party needs 4% of the vote in Sweden.)
- However, no party can be anti-Zionist.

Ashkenazim-Mizrachim
- All Israelis know which of the above groups they belong to.
- 50% of Israelis born in Israel today are Ashkenazim and 50% are Mizrachim.
- Mizrachim predominantly live in the south.
- In general, Ashkenazim are better educated and more priveleged.

Conflict of Interests
- Ashkenazim hegemony; Mizrachim marginalization
- assimilation politics (maabarot), cultural marginalization
- development towns, socioeconomic marginalization
- educational system (50s reform, no place for traditional Mizrachim)
- renewed conflict due to post-Cold War immigration

Mobilization and Political Parties/ Organizations
- Black Panthers, 1970s
¤ Mizrachim youth movement to raise awareness about inequality.
¤ Many arguments leveled against Golda Meir.
- Likud (Menachem Begin, 1977)
¤ Begin realized this was a social issue and sought to politicize it.
¤ Begin focused on unemployment.
- Shas (1984, ultra-orthodox split)
¤ ethnic origin before religious identification
¤ Shas is a political success story.
¤ Even non-orthodox Mizrachim will vote for Shas.

Religious-Secular
- Ultra-orthodox (Haredim): 10% of the Israeli population
- Orthodox: 10%
- Traditional: 30%
- Secular: 50%

- The above groups intermix regularly with the notable exception of the ultra-orthodox.
- There are two large ultra-orthodox communities in Israel, one is Jerusalem and one in Tel Aviv.
- Ultra-orthodox Jews constitute and very poor segment of society.
- Ultra-orthodox Jews typically have very large families with approximately 10 children per family.
- The image of the ultra-orthodox Jew seems very different from the image of the "New Israeli".
- Ultra-orthodox Jews have their own educational systems where they primarily study the Torrah.
- In ultra-orthodox communities, the position of women is relatively low.

Conflict of Interests
- Zionism
¤ Ultra-orthodox Jews are not Zionist; they do not accept the state of Israel because it was not created by the messiah.
- Military service
¤ Ultra-orthodox Jews do not complete military service.
¤ Leftist Israelis who advocate peace must serve in the military but ultra-orthodox settlers are exempt.
- Family law
- Conversions and immigration

Mobilization and Political Parties/ Organizations
- Shift from strictly ultra-orthodox to religious Zionist
¤ This occured after the Six-Day War.
- Agudat parties: religious Zionist parties
- Anti-religious parties: Ratz, Meretz, Shinui
¤ The Shinui party refuses to sit in government with Shas.

(-There are 120 seats in the Knesset, thus a majority consists of 61 seats.
- The inclusion of a religious party is essential to building a coalition government.)

Sabra-Immigrants
(We did not have enough time to discuss this cleavage. Please see powerpoint for more information.)

Left-Right
- Israeli politicians are not particularly concerned about the environment or the economy, they are primarily concerned with the fate of the Occupied Territories which become a central issue after the Six-Day War.
- The right contend that Israel must keep the territories for security and religious reasons.
- The left (Labor) was held responsible for failures during the Yom Kippur War in 1973.
- After 1973, Israeli politics shifted to the right.

The Left (Doves)
- Hadash
- Meretz (Ashkenazi)
- Labor

- Arab parties

The Rights (Hawks)
- Right-wing extremists
- Religious nationalists (Mafdal, Gush Emunim)
- Likud

- Russian parties, Shinui