Nearly a year after Israel saw violence and rioting erupt in mixed Jewish-Arab cities such as Jaffa, Lod, and Acre during Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021, it appears that the ethno-religious rifts have not healed.
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The 2021 violence began with incitement in Jerusalem during Ramadan, to a large part instigated by Hamas, and spread to other cities that are home to both Jewish and Arab populations. The violence included attacks on vehicles on highways in the Galilee and the Negev. Three Jewish Israelis were murdered and nearly 2,000 wounded. Synagogues were set on fire, and countless Jewish-owned businesses, public buildings, and homes were vandalized.
A new poll by Israel Hayom reveals just how deep the schism between Jewish and Arab Israelis is. According to the poll results, 82% of respondents think that if another wave of violence erupts in mixed cities, it will be as bad or worse than the events of May 2021.
The poll also showed that 62% of Arab Israeli respondents think that the next round of rioting and violence will be as bad or worse than the violence seen in May 2021, and only 20% think that should another round of violence erupt, it will not be as bad.
The majority of respondents were pessimistic about the possibility of coexistence in mixed cities, with 69% saying they thought there was "little to no chance" Jews and Arabs could continue to live together in mixed communities.
Only 22% of respondents said they thought coexistence in mixed cities was "highly likely." Another 9% of respondents said they did not know if coexistence was likely or not.
Looking at responses from Arab Israelis only, 44% said they thought there was "little to no chance" of peaceful coexistence in mixed cities, while 40% said they thought there was a good chance Jews and Arabs could continue to coexist in mixed cities.
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