Racism in Israel refers to all forms and manifestations of
racism experienced in
Israel, irrespective of the colour or creed of the perpetrator and victim, or their
citizenship,
residency, or
visitor status.
More specifically in the Israeli context, however, racism in Israel refers to racism directed against
Israeli Arabs by
Israeli Jews,
[1] intra-Jewish racism between the various
Jewish ethnic divisions (in particular against
Ethiopian Jews,
[2] and to historic and alleged current racism towards
Mizrahi Jews and other
Jews of colour), and racism on the part of Israeli Arabs against Israeli Jews.
Racism against Arabs in Israel exist in institutional policies, personal attitudes, the media, education, immigration rights, housing,
[3] social life and legal policies. Some elements within the Ashkenazi Israeli Jewish population have also been described as holding discriminatory attitudes towards fellow Jews of other backgrounds, including against
Ethiopian Jews,
Indian Jews,
Mizrahi Jews,
Sephardi Jews, etc. Although intermarriage between
Ashkenazim and Sephardim/Mizrahim is increasingly common in Israel, and social integration is constantly improving, disparities continue to persist.
Ethiopian Jews in particular have faced discrimination from non-Black Jews. It has been suggested that the situation of the Ethiopian Jews as 'becoming white' is similar to that of some European immigrants like
Poles and
Italians who arrived in the
United States in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
[4]
Israel has broad anti-discrimination laws that prohibit discrimination by both government and nongovernment entities on the basis of race, religion, and political beliefs, and prohibits
incitement to racism.
[5] The Israeli government and many groups within Israel have undertaken efforts to combat racism. Israel is a state-party to the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and is a signatory of the
Convention against Discrimination in Education. Israel's President
Reuven Rivlin announced to a meeting of academics in October 2014 that it is finally time for Israel to live up to its promise as a land of equality, time to cure the epidemic of racism.
“Israeli society is sick, and it is our duty to treat this disease,”
Racism in Israel - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia