Palestinian Citizens of Israel

During Israel’s establishment (1947-49), approximately 750,000 Palestinians fled their homes and land in fear or were driven out. After the war, around 150,000 Palestinians remained inside of what became Israel’s internationally recognized borders. Today, there are approximately 1.6 million Palestinian citizens of Israel, comprising about 20% of the total Israeli population. Though Palestinian citizens of Israel can vote and participate in political life, they face a web of institutionalized discrimination and exclusion.

Stephen Farrell, Ayat Basma, Reuters

Mourning Arabs Fly Palestinian Flags as Israel Marks Independence Day

In a field south of Haifa, near an Arab village that was depopulated and abandoned in 1948, children read the lyrics of nationalist anthems from their iPhones, while their elders sat beneath awnings, listening to dignitarites and musicians.

on April 19, 2018

Ayman Odeh, New York Times

Israel Celebrates Its Independence, We Mourn Our Loss

Seventy years ago, the world changed around my family. The establishment of the state of Israel represented self-determination for Jews, but a catastrophe — “nakba” in Arabic — for Palestinians. In the area around the Mediterranean city of Haifa, where my family has lived for six generations, only 2,000 Palestinians of a population of 70,000 remained.

on April 18, 2018

Jack Moore, Newsweek

‘Tibi, Not Bibi’: The Palestinian Who Stood up to Pence on Why He Could Be the Region’s Next Leader

Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics revealed a figure on Monday that will concern the country's nationalistic right wing: As many Muslims (6.5 million) now live alongside Jews (6.44 million) between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. But for one man in the midst of the Israeli-Palestinian quagmire, that number is full of encouragement.

on March 28, 2018

Videos

IMEU

Ahed Tamimi: A Teen in Search of Freedom

16-year-old Palestinian Ahed Tamimi hasn’t seen a day of freedom. She's spent her youth protesting a foreign army that has jailed, shot, and killed her unarmed relatives. After defending her home from Israeli invasion, she now faces years in prison. Imagine if this was your reality.

on January 17, 2018

Betty McCollum, The Nation

US Tax Dollars Must Not Be Used to Detain Palestinian Children

Israel is a powerful nation with the most advanced and capable military in the Middle East. It is the single greatest beneficiary of American military assistance, receiving $3.8 billion, some 25 percent of its defense budget, from American taxpayers each year. The security of Israel is obviously important to the United States, with missile defense programs like Iron Dome and David’s Sling as success stories.

on December 11, 2017

Saree Makdisi, Los Angeles Times

Trump Delivers a Death Blow to the Two-State Solution

President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel represents a major break with decades of U.S. foreign policy. It is a final, devastating blow to the prospect of a two-state solution for Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians. The move involves, first, a contemptuous dismissal of Palestinians’ aspirations and rights, a denial of their claim to the city they consider their capital, where almost 400,000 of them live.

on December 7, 2017

Rashid Khalidi, The Guardian

Trump’s Error on Jerusalem Is a Disaster for the Arab World … and the US Too

Every time it seems Donald Trump cannot outdo himself, he does it again. Now he has announced that his administration will recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reversing nearly seven decades of American policy. This step will have multiple negative ramifications, many impossible to predict.

on December 6, 2017

Murtaza Hussain, The Intercept

With His Jerusalem Move, Trump Flings Gas Can over a Region Aflame

In a move that would break from decades of U.S. policy and potentially trigger major regional turmoil, President Donald Trump is reportedly set to announce that the United States will recognize the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The White House announced that Trump will deliver his remarks on the subject Wednesday, with the New York Times reporting that the president has already informed Israeli and Arab leaders about his plans.

on December 5, 2017

Zaid Jilani, The Intercept

Israel Uses U.S. Tax Dollars to Abuse Palestinian Children. This Bill Would Put an End to That.

Children ad teenagers are frequent victims of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories. They face physical abuse by Israeli military forces and are shuffled through an unfair court system without access to legal counsel or even their parents. The United States has long subsidized these abuses, giving billions of dollars in military aid to Israel every year. Now, a group of Democratic members of Congress is saying enough is enough.

on November 14, 2017