A recent study has found a substantial shift in the perception of identity in the Arab sector, as three of every four Arabs – 75% - living in Israel define themselves as Israeli.
According to the 2020 Pluralism Index composed by the Jewish People's Policy Institute, 23% of the Arab sector's members define themselves as "Israeli" and 51% as "Arab Israeli."
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Only 7% of those polled in this segment defined themselves as "Palestinians."
Still, about 50% of Arab Israelis and 59% of the Muslims living in Israel said they do not believe a Jewish temple every existed on the Temple Mount.
Overall, 30% of those polled did not deny the Temple's existence but were not convinced it did, in fact, lord over the area.
Among the Christian Arabs and Druze polled, half said they were not sure the Temple existed and another 25% denied its existence.
Turning its attention to the ultra-Orthodox sector, the poll found that the latter ranked last among all other Jewish and non-Jewish sectors in society in terms of "contribution to the state."
Topping the "contribution index" for Israel's success are IDF soldiers with a score of 3.9 out of 4.
Secular Israelis ranked second with a score of 3.7), followed by the Druze (3.6), rightists (3.4), Diaspora Jews (3.4), the national-religious sector (3.4), leftists (3), settlers (2.9), foreign laborers (2.6), and Muslim Arabs (2.4).
Rounding up the list was the ultra-Orthodox sector, with a score of 2.3.
"The good news in this year's index is Arab Israelis' desire to integrate and contribute to society in general. The bad news, is that many of them define Jews as extremists," said President of the Jewish People's Policy Institute Avinoam Bar Yosef.
He further noted that "the relationship between ultra-Orthodox and secular sectors requires special attention in order to foster more understanding and diminish the animosity the parties feel from each other."
The study also examined how Jewish Israelis perceive the Chief Rabbinate.
Only 14% of those polled said they believe the Chief Rabbinate was both necessary and functioning properly. The rest stated in needed fundamental reforms or advocated shutting it down.
This is the sixth year in which the Jewish People Policy Institute publishes its Pluralism Index, conducted by veteran pollster Prof. Camil Fuchs of Tel Aviv University.
The JPPI's Pluralism Project is supported by the William Davidson Foundation.
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