Regional mix and ethnic relations: Evidence from Israel

Abstract

This paper explores the consequences of ethnic regional mix, created by governmental settlement policies. Theories explaining the short- and long-term implications of regional ethnic mix in ‘homeland biethnic democracies’ are discussed. Israel's settlement policy in the Galilee region is then analysed. That policy created an ethnic mix in a peripheral region traditionally dominated by Israel's Arab minority. The mix was created through the establishment of 60 new Jewish settlements during the late 1970s and early 1980s. This paper describes the process of policy formulation and implementation, and presents an interim evaluation of its consequences. The evaluation shows that, in the short term, Israel's policy has been effective by preventing the emergence of potential Arab separatism, or overt ethnic conflict. However, it is also found that more complex long-term processes have started to emerge in the region, with a potential to seriously strain Arab-Jewish relations. The logic of creating a planned ethnic regional mix in ‘homeland societies’ is therefore brought into question.