Nationalizing States and the Constitution of ‘Hollow Citizenship’: Israel and its Palestinian Citizens

Abstract

This paper claims that nationalizing states adopt political, economic and cultural policies that hollow out the citizenship of national minorities, rendering them devoid of substantive meaning, since these minorities, often by their mere existence, tend to challenge the basic vision of the state. To demonstrate these claims, this paper examines the relationship between the Israeli state and its Arab-Palestinian minority. Based on analysing recent political, economic and cultural policies, which make multidimensional analytical frameworks necessary in explaining nationalizing states–minority relations, the paper demonstrates that, in opposite to the liberalization thesis, common in certain Israeli academic circles, the Israeli state has emphasized its nationalizing character rendering the citizenship of the Arab-Palestinian community devoid of substantial meaning. The nationalizing policies of the Israeli state have led to the intensification of Arab demands for a comprehensive transformation in the structure and policies of the Israeli state, thereby feeding the conflict between the state and its minority.

Notes

1. See a special issue of the journal Citizenship Studies, 7(4) (December 2004).

2. The Knesset Chronicles, 42(30), p. 3951.

3. The new condition forbids implicit or explicit support of any candidate or party list for armed struggle by a state or a terrorist organization against the state of Israel. This formulation was designed to block Arab support of Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

4. On the political plan of the Liberman party, see its website linked to the Knesset website at www.knesset.gov.il.

5. On 2 March 2003, the state destroyed 18 houses in Kfar Kassem. Another 150 houses have been defined by the authorities as illegal and are destined for demolition. See the report of the Arab Human Rights Association http://www.arabhra.org/pressrel030305.htm; Al-Ittihad, 9.3.2003, Al-Ahali, 10.3.2003, Al-Sennara, 7.3.2003, Al-Akhbar, 7.3.2003, Fasl Al-Maqal, 7.3.2003.

6. The Mossawa Center in Haifa released a report demonstrating that, out of the $4.25 billion directed to develop the Galilee, only $400 million is to be given to Arab towns, despite the fact that Arabs comprise 50% of the population in the region. Haaretz, 21 December 2006.

7. Haaretz, 21 December 2006.

8. For details on the Judaization policies of the Israeli Government see www.vpmo.gov.il.

9. Adva Institute, Moa'sakim Lifi Mishlah Yad, Yabishit Lida, Kvotsat Okhlosia Vi- Mean (Employment according to trade, continent of origin, group affiliation and gender), 1999. http://www.adva.org/ivrit/pearim/occupation-continents.htm.

10. The report of the ‘Shiluv’ (Integration) plan, ‘Sikkuy’ (2000).

11. www.nrg.com 31 August 2005 and 31 August 2006.

12. See the letter of intentions written by Samuel Bar-Haim regarding the issuing of newspapers in Arabic to the Arab public in Israel, 18 September 1958. See file G 5498/12 in the Governmental Archives in Jerusalem.