March 24, 2006
A poll among Israeli Jews towards their fellow Arab citizens has exposed racist attitudes, with large numbers favoring segregation and policies to encourage Arabs to leave the country. The survey, conducted by the Israeli organization Geocartographia for the Center for the Struggle Against Racism, also found that more than two-thirds of Jews would refuse to live in the same building as an Arab. Nearly half would not allow an Arab in their home and 41 per cent want segregation of entertainment facilities. The survey also found 40 per cent of Israel's Jews believe "the state needs to support the emigration of Arab citizens". Among the poll's other findings was that 63 per cent of Jewish Israelis consider their country's Arab citizens a "security and demographic threat to the state". Almost one fifth said they felt hatred when they heard someone speaking Arabic, and one third of respondents agreed with the statement that "Arab culture is inferior to Israeli culture".
