59% of Jews and 56% of Arabs Say Personal Security Has Worsened; 76% of Young Arabs Report Feeling Less Safe
According to a survey presented at the Givat Haviva conference “Shared Society, Shared Future,” 76% of young Arabs aged 25–34 said their sense of personal security has declined.
The survey, conducted by the Midgam Institute in the first third of December among 700 respondents, also found that 54% of Arabs trust Jews, compared with just 26% of Jews who trust Arabs.
The attitude gap is also reflected in willingness for social relationships: 31% of Jews are open to friendships with Arabs, while 69% of Arabs are open to friendships with Jews. The situation improves somewhat in professional settings: 58% of Jews and 81% of Arabs are willing to work in a shared workplace, and 51% of Jews and 80% of Arabs are willing to study together at university.
In a reality of largely separate education systems, 29% of Jews and 66% of Arabs are willing to send their children to shared extracurricular activities.
The attitude gap widens on political questions. Only 26% of Jews are willing to accept Arab participation in a coalition, a figure that has remained steady in recent years. In contrast, 70% of Arabs are open to coalition participation, an increase of 13% from last year.
“There is erosion of trust and rising pessimism,” said Prof. Mona Maron, Rector of the University of Haifa. “Arabs want partnership; Jews are less willing. It’s difficult to talk about partnership under these conditions.” She noted that even at the University of Haifa, where 45% of students are Arab, life is “together but separate. They are not building meaningful connections. There is shared space, but no real interaction.”
Prof. Sammy Samuha Called for a Recognition of Reality
“After the war and the governmental upheaval, what should we expect? There are changes, but these are not historical changes, those take decades,” he said.
He argued that the difference lies in the meaning each side gives to partnership. “The Arab side does not just want closeness; it wants access to resources. Jews do not want a redistribution of resources. The level of distrust between the sides is similar— each side feels threatened by the other.”
