Ethnic Majority Attitudes toward Jewish and Non-Jewish Migrants in Israel: The Role of Perceptions of Threat, Collective Vulnerability, and Human Values

Abstract

We investigate whether the attitudes of the Israeli majority toward migrants reflect the double standard embedded in Israel’s immigration regime, differentiating Jewish from non-Jewish migrants. We compare attitudes toward ethnic migrants (Jews), non-ethnic migrants (non-Jews), and asylum seekers, considering three explanations: values, collective vulnerability, and perceived threat. Our findings show that perceived vulnerability increases threat due to immigration. Values play an important role in predicting opposition to both Jewish and non-ethnic immigrants. Perceptions of threat are more relevant for the explanation of opposition to non-ethnic immigrants than to that of Jewish immigrants. We discuss our findings in light of existing theories.