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AIC Socioeconomic Bulletin 3 -- Divide and Conquer: Inequality and Discrimination in Israel/Palestine
by Shir Hever
The Israeli declaration of independence states:
“The Land of Israel was the birthplace of the Jewish people ... Hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish State in the Land of Israel, to be known as the State of Israel.”
It also states that “[Israel] will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex”. [28]
Introduction
There is a tendency to see the Israeli occupa- tion of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) as a struggle between two sides - the Israelis the occupiers and the Palestinians the resisters. This approach is a simplification of the political situation. A closer examination, however, reveals a complicated, stratified reality – Israelis and Palestinians alike are pitted against each other in a complex hierarchy, and the struggle between Jews and Palestinians is just one of many. The aim of this paper is to offer a descriptive overview of discrimination in Israel and the OPT, with a brief historical discussion and some theoretical framework. Discrimination can exist in many forms, and can sometimes be very subtle, indirect or unintentional. Cultural difference may be mistaken as inadequate education and lead to difficulties in finding suitable employment. Discrimination of this type is difficult to root out. People suffering from discrimination find it harder to secure a good education for their children, and thus the stereotype is reinforced with each new generation.
The subject of discrimination and inequality is immense, and cannot be fully described here. This work is intended as an introduction to the growing inequalities within Israeli society, briefly touching on the inequality within Palestinian society as well.
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