Last week, just a few days before Eid al-Fitr, one of my good friends invited me to join him for a holiday vacation in Turkey, from where he had returned less than a month earlier.
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I asked him how he could afford another vacation for a family of seven so soon, to which he replied that his only expense was the tickets as he had recently purchased an apartment in Turkey.
"At a cost of only about 400,000 shekels [$110,000]," he continued. "If you own residential property, you get the right to residency the moment you register, and potentially even citizenship. From an economic point of view, this is not a bad investment at all."
When it comes to relocating, my friend is not alone. What? Did you think the Jews were the only ones buying apartments in Europe and fantasizing about moving abroad? This is the latest hot trend in the Arab sector. Not all of them, of course, but a significant percentage.
Although there is still no data on how many Arab Israelis purchase real estate abroad, the topic is on the agenda, from living room conversations to social media.
On the face of it, it might seem like an unexpected trend. After all, Arab Israelis are watching the protests against the judicial reform and believe the situation will get worse, the rift will grow and the IDF will weaken, so those opposing the government will look for greener pastures abroad, especially as many Israelis have dual citizenship and the wealthy are already investing in countries such as Cyprus, Greece, the United States, Hungary, and Germany.
Arab Israelis, on the other hand, have more limited options, both financially and because they don't have the option of getting a European passport and as such are, for better or worse, "stuck" here.
But in reality, the opposite is true. Like the Jews, many Arabs are also looking into options abroad and some of them are already making it a reality. And you'd be surprised, but often it is for the very same reason that the Jews are looking into living abroad.
Firstly, the wave of crime and violence in the Arab sector is tearing the community apart and disrupting the ability to build a comfortable and peaceful life in a supportive and prosperous environment.
Secondly, many fear the judicial reform will harm them and feel they may be left defenseless against the government, so they must prepare solutions for an emergency situation.
And finally, due to the cost of living, which burdens everyone, especially young people and business and professional owners who are financially independent, but are further and further away from owning a home and being comfortable.
It so happens that many buy apartments in Turkey, Georgia, Greece, Spain and even the United Arab Emirates. If buying an apartment in Israel at a reasonable price is impossible, then it will be done abroad, especially if that purchase will also allow for residency, a work visa, and subsidized education and better universities for the children.
As I mentioned, there is no official data yet as to how widespread this trend is in the Arab sector, but one thing is clear: Jewish and Arab Israelis are more similar than we thought. We live together, hope together, and sometimes even despair a little of this country, together.
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