New Government, Protest Movement, and Arab Citizens of Israel – Implications and Emerging Actions

Since the inauguration of Israel’s thirty-seventh government on December 29, 2022, Israeli society has been in turmoil. Protests that began in early January against various illiberal aspects of the new governments’ agenda grew and intensified as they coalesced around proposed judicial reforms and their implications for Israeli democracy. Arab citizens have been largely uninvolved in the protests, for reasons described below. Yet, Arab society is deeply concerned about the government’s shift in overall policies, priorities and tone, and what impact these developments will have on Arab citizens and communities.

This paper aims to outline the major areas of concern regarding the new government with respect to Arab society, state-minority, and Jewish-Arab relations. It then points to emerging lines of thought about responses in the field.