Abstract
Israel is a multicultural, polyethnic state, with a society made up of sectors that coexist in continuous tension. This article presents an overview of the different forms that civic service has taken in Israel, with the predominant form being the national youth service (NYS; Sherut Leumi in Hebrew). The article describes the controversies around the participation of Palestinian citizens of Israel in the NYS. Finally, the main conceptual issues to be addressed when devising prospects and policy directions are highlighted. The concern is raised whether the NYS in Israel is a segregating experience or rather an experience that provides a common civic denominator to all parts of society. In view of the complex reality of the Middle East in general and Israel in particular, prospects and policy directions concerning civic service are discussed.
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