Israel Research Articles

The Gaza Crisis and the Indian Urdu Press

Urdu is widely spoken in India, and due to historical, demographic, and political reasons, it is commonly associated with the Indian Muslim population. India has a vibrant Urdu press represented in both electronic and print media that caters largely to the Muslim population and reflects their views. Issues related to Israel, Zionism, and Jews, in addition to other Middle Eastern developments, are widely covered in the Indian Urdu press due to religious and historical factors. The coverage also reflects the ignorance, biases, and prejudices that are widely held among South Asian Muslims regarding Jews, Zionism, and Israel, which at times acquire extremist and anti-Semitic overtones. The Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, and the Israeli military response have been widely covered and commented upon in the Indian Urdu press, reinforcing the established ideas of the oppressive Israeli state and the perpetual Palestinian victimhood. However, one witnesses certain nuances and a diversity of opinion within the Urdu press. A systematic content analysis of the Indian Urdu press and its coverage of the Gaza crisis provides an understanding of views held among a large section of the Muslim population in India toward the Israel–Hamas conflict, in particular, and toward the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, in general.

Knowledge popularization in a technocratic-populist context, or how the Israeli state shaped media coverage of large-scale urban plans

In this study, we examine recent actions taken by the Israeli state to naturalize technocratic understandings of land-use plans through the mass media, and assess the implications of this for power-knowledge relations between the state, planners and citizens. Our research focuses on the years 2013–2018, when state planners and officials began working with PR agents to promulgate state-generated, pro-growth representations of plans through mainstream media outlets. We focus on coverage of three types of large-scale plans, all of which involve complex and varied knowledge contents: city master plans, new neighborhood plans, and urban renewal plans. Using critical discourse analysis and semi-structured interviews with key planners and journalists, we examined what kinds of knowledge and information about these plans were conveyed, and how. We found that a significant percentage (some 40%) of the articles published during this period were based directly on state-issued press releases, and exclusively conveyed state-sanctioned perspectives. We interpret this as an attempt by the state to highlight its own role in planning and housing, while taking advantage of journalists' lack of planning knowledge and pressure to publish in order to construct ‘citizen-technocrats’ whose knowledge mirrors that of state-affiliated actors. We situate these findings within the emerging academic discourse on “technocratic populism,” a form of governance in which populist regimes communicate technocratic knowledge directly to citizens, and show how mis/disinformation tactics usually associated with populist discourse now appear in planning communications in Israel. This practice, we argue, has served to entrench a shift toward a centralized form of neoliberalism, while promoting illiberal conceptions of state-citizen relations in the planning context.

Capital’s Genocide: A Conversation on Racial Capitalism, Settler Colonialism, and Possible Worlds after Gaza

Taking as a starting point the desire of many to locate the unfolding genocide in Gaza in the irrationality of its perpetrators — the Israeli state and/or its imperial backers — this article proposes instead to understand it as an extreme expression of the continuous violence necessary to maintain not only local settler colonial rule, but the global capitalist system as a whole. Building on the existing literature on settler colonialism and racial capitalism, and insisting on the ways that both should be understood not as discrete, self-contained objects of study, but as co-constitutive elements of the global order, this article attempts to illuminate the structural logics at play in Israel’s latest and most brutal assault on Palestinian life. In doing so, the article emphasises Zionism’s role in maintaining western imperialism at a crucial nodal point of the world economy and, in turn, the latter’s commitment to guaranteeing its stability and dominance. The article resists, however, the urge to move from explaining current structures of domination to declaring them as final or unshakable. It therefore ends by proposing possible different tomorrows, through an engagement with the Palestinian revolutionary tradition.

Exploring the experiences of English-speaking women who have moved to Israel and subsequently used Israeli fertility treatment services: A qualitative study.

Israel's pronatalist cultures result in a social expectation to have children and drive Israel's fertility rate of 2.9. Israeli policy reflects this through funding unlimited fertility treatment up to two children. Societal pressure to have children exacerbates challenges of fertility treatment. Furthermore, the lack of financial burden creates a culture of perseverance following treatment failures. Whilst the experiences of Israeli women using fertility treatment have been studied, the experiences of women who migrated to Israel and were therefore raised in a different society have not. This study aimed to address this gap in knowledge. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to investigate the experiences of 13 English-speaking women who utilised Israeli state funded fertility treatment. Participants were located across Israel and were recruited using purposive sampling through social media. Data was analysed using framework analysis. Despite not being aimed at specific ethnic or religious groups, all respondents were Jewish. Three themes were identified: 1. Systemic factors: The lack of financial burden was positive, however, participants struggled to navigate the bureaucratic healthcare system, especially when experiencing a language barrier. 2. Influence of others: Encountering a cold bedside manner alongside contending with the expectations of a pronatalist society was challenging. Participants utilised support from other migrants who appreciated the same culture shock. Understanding of healthcare professionals regarding shared religious values further improved treatment experiences. 3. Impact of journey: Participants often withdrew socially and the treatment process implicated upon their lives, jobs and relationships. Navigating a bureaucratic system and pronatalist society are difficulties associated with fertility treatment in Israel. The lack of financial burden and an understanding of religious and cultural beliefs by healthcare providers improved treatment experience. Better provision of resources in English and further research into supporting women who are navigating Israel's pronatalist society is required.

Food insecurity amongst asylum seekers and people without status in Israel

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic caused massive disruptions globally, with food insecurity a primary concern amongst vulnerable communities. As one of the most marginalized and vulnerable groups in Israeli society asylum seekers and undocumented populations were amongst the first to be affected by the pandemic and the economic crisis that followed. The objective of the study was to evaluate the severity and causes of food insecurity among asylum seekers and other undocumented communities because of COVID-19.MethodsA multi method approach was used. The quantitative component included an online questionnaire regarding access to food, aid and choices, and the 6 item Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) The qualitative component included 4 focus groups and thematic analysis. The study was conducted in November 2020, by the Ministry of Health's Nutrition Division and the Tel Aviv Municipality's foreign community assistance and information center (Mesila). The convenience sample was drawn from the low-income neighborhood population of South Tel Aviv. Logistic regression, multivariate analysis and content analysis, were performed.ResultsFour hundred eighty-five people completed the quantitative survey, with average age 33.2 ± 5.4 years and 349 (72.0%) experienced food insecurity. In the multivariate analysis, being older (p = 0.04, Odds Ratio OR 1.1, Confidence Interval CI 1.05–1.15) and being single (unmarried) (p = 0.03, OR 2.1, CI 1.2, 3.5) predicted food insecurity. Qualitative findings identified three main themes: children preferring Israeli/ Western foods to traditional foods; financial stresses were compounded; a preference for receiving assistance with purchasing food (vouchers), rather than food handouts.ConclusionIn conclusion, vulnerable populations (asylum seekers and other undocumented communities) were severely affected and are in danger of food insecurity. Culturally relevant and contextualized solutions are needed to address the acute hunger within the community. These include establishment of a cross-ministerial forum, a social grocery store, increased liaison with food rescue bodies, complete nutritional support for children in educational settings and increased guidance regarding food choices and budgeting.

JEWISH ANTAGONISM AS PORTRAYED BY HAMKA IN THE BOOK OF TAFSIR AL-AZHAR

Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah (Hamka) is widely recognized as a leading Muslim intellectual of 20th-century Indonesia, renowned for his extensive body of work, including both novels and Qur'anic exegesis. His tafsir has been the subject of considerable scholarly interest across Asia. The Qur'an contains numerous verses concerning the Jews, and as an exegete of the entire 30 juz of the Qur'an, Hamka offers a distinct interpretation of these verses. The 20th century was a period marked by significant global political upheaval, notably the establishment of Israel in 1948. The creation of the Israeli state had profound consequences for Muslims worldwide, intensifying anti-Jewish, anti-Zionist, and anti-Israel sentiments, which also permeated discourse in the United States and the United Kingdom. Within this context, several Islamic scholars began to integrate European concepts found in the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion," a document that portrays Jews as malevolent and conspiratorial figures. These ideas gradually infiltrated the field of Qur'anic exegesis, including Indonesian works, most prominently Hamka's Tafsir Al-Azhar, first published in 1965. Before this period, the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" had not influenced Qur'anic interpretation. This paper seeks to critically analyze the theme of Jewish conspiracy in Hamka's tafsir by tracing the origins of his arguments, identifying the presence of conspiratorial elements in his exegesis, and examining the extent to which Hamka's views converge with those of Sayyid Qutb. The study employs a library-based literature review utilizing a descriptive-analytical and critical approach. The findings reveal that Hamka strongly adheres to the conspiracy theory espoused in the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion," depicting Jews as aiming to establish a new world order, dominate the global economy, and control Hollywood and the media. Moreover, Hamka's interpretations are significantly shaped by Sayyid Qutb's concepts of Jahiliyyah (ignorance) and Hakimiyyah (sovereignty).

Psychosocial health of migrant careworkers from Southeast Asian countries in Israel: A mixed methods study

BackgroundIn 2018, 66,859 migrant careworkers were in Israel, most of whom originated from Southeast Asian countries and 81 % of whom are women. Stringent regulations combined with social invisibility creates vulnerabilities that may contribute to emotional distress. This study aimed to assess psychosocial status and determine mechanisms of emotional distress and resilience in this population. MethodsMixed methods were used in this cross-section study. An online survey measured demographic variables, psychosocial wellbeing using the HSCL-25 questionnaire, general health, perceived social support, cultural identity, and perceived othering. Based on the survey's results, interviews were conducted with a subpopulation of respondents (n = 15) to further understand the mechanisms of emotional distress and resilience, and were analyzed using a postcolonial feminist framework and grounded theory. Data collection took place during 2018–2019. ResultsIn total, 263 careworkers completed the survey and 15 careworkers were interviewed. The overall prevalence of emotional distress according to the HSCL-25 was 36.8 %, 22.6 % on the anxiety subscale, and 41.8 % on the depression subscale. Emotional distress was associated with female sex, not being parents, poorer general health, high perceived othering, and low perceived social support. Interviews revealed that Israeli policy, and relationships with family in their country of origin and with Israeli employers and their families can either contribute to or mitigate emotional stressors. ConclusionsSymptoms of emotional distress among Southeast Asian migrant careworkers in Israel are frequently reported, and may indicate rates of anxiety and depression higher than in careworkers’ countries of origin and host country. Increased monitoring to protect careworkers’ rights and including mental health services as part of their health insurance plan are warranted.

A map without guarantees: Stuart Hall and Palestinian geographies

Israel has imposed different forms of settler colonialism across the map of historic Palestine, but there is no inevitability about future outcomes Thinking about space as an entry point, this article traverses multiple spaces within historic Palestine to explore how Israeli settler colonialism unfolds as a set of contingent and differentiated relations, practices and processes. It uses a theoretical diary, photographs, and countermaps to bring into sharp relief both the sedimented nature of settler colonial domination and its vulnerability to Palestinian practices of resistance. Moving from the refugee camp in the West Bank to the village and the city in the territories Israel occupied in 1948, the article draws on Stuart Hall’s approach to ‘conjunctural analysis’ to demonstrate how there exist multiple Palestinian geographies; how such geographies stand in relations of domination and subordination vis-??-vis one another and the Israeli state; and how such geographies remain prone to rupture and transformation. The article insists on a conjunctural reading that refutes teleological understandings of settler colonialism: there are no guarantees that its dominant modes of dispossession and elimination will succeed.

Evaluating the Practice of Lawfare Against Pro‐Palestinian Groups

AbstractFor nearly 20 years, nongovernmental organizations backing the Palestinian cause have promoted both “differentiation” and the better‐known strategy of boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS). Differentiation is the practice of distinguishing between Israel and the occupied territories, terminating contracts with actors—irrespective of nationality—that contribute to and benefit from occupation‐related activities, and seeking to promote Palestinian investments and exports. This strategy is fundamentally different from BDS, which targets not just the occupation but the Israeli state and its national entities. However, this article finds that laws and proposed legislation in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel do not delineate between Israel and Israeli‐controlled territory, blurring the line between differentiation and BDS as tools to support Palestine. The evidence shows that courts have mostly ruled against differentiation practices, thus allowing harsh campaigns that impose heavy burdens on NGOs. These costs are both direct, through legal proceedings, and indirect in that they restrict the space for humanitarian action and delegitimize groups that employ differentiation. The study considers whether this constitutes lawfare, defined by experts as the exploitation “of the law of armed conflict to achieve tactical and strategic goals.”

Resistance to Repression and Back Again: The Movement for Palestinian Liberation in US Academia

In 2023–2024, US academia witnessed the largest ever protests condemning Israeli state violence against Palestinians and the most vociferous repression of these protests and other criticisms of that violence. This article situates this moment within the longer history of support for Palestinian liberation in US colleges and universities, as well as the decades-long rise of organizations to combat this support and critical analysis of the Israeli state. We do so to make two arguments. First, there has been a continuous interrelationship between resistance and repression, with one feeding the other, and always in relationship to events in the Middle East and the US. Second, and using analysis of our experience with academic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) as an example, we argue that understanding this history is necessary for building a more broad-based, international, and intersectional movement for liberation.

Israel’s war on journalism: A Kiwi journalist’s response

Whether it is termed as ‘self-defence’ or ‘mowing the lawn’, the Israel Defence Force (IDF) has common phrases to describe its ongoing attacks on the besieged Palestine enclave of Gaza. The phrases obscure the devastation of death and disaster in the 2023/24 genocidal war on Gaza. While global reports have tended to focus on the horrendous and rapid climb of civilian casualties, especially women and children, Gaza has also claimed the worst ever death rate of journalists, many apparently targeted by the IDF because of their profession. Journalists in this article argue that it is time to ‘call these [Israeli state] terrorists by their true name: enablers of genocide.’

הבית הבורגני בישראל הצעירה במבט גלובלי

Israeli critical research tends to view the Israeli home in the 1950s and 1960s as an institutional tool for shaping society. However, the central focus of individuals on the modern home, its design, and its furnishing during the second decade of the state's existence is evidence of its dominant position and its cultural, emotional, and ethical importance among the emerging Israeli bourgeoisie. As in Western European countries following World War II, the modern Israeli home expressed a desire to disconnect from a violent, crisis-filled and painful past and to build a new, modernist and, most importantly, stable future. Alongside government authorities and planning bodies, citizens, tenants, and families took advantage of design books and the guidance and advice provided by interior designers, architects, and self-proclaimed household management experts in order to participate in the design of the home. The building, the house and the apartment were also designed according to the family's requirements and its character, thus expressing the values of the Israeli bourgeoisie and its desire to integrate within consumer culture. The modern Israeli home became an emotional fortress, a protected refuge for middle-class Israelis against strangers and dangers.

Revisiting the ‘Jewish Question’ and Its Contemporary Discontents

Abstract This article revisits the so-called ‘Jewish Question’ against the combined background of Marxist historiography and the resurgence of antisemitic and neofascist politics. It begins by analysing the critical reception of Marx’s formative essay, ‘On the Jewish Question’, and assesses its contemporary relevance in the aftermath of institutionalised antisemitism in the USSR, the monstrosity of the Shoah, the consolidation of the Israeli state, and the catastrophic ramifications of the ongoing Nakba. Despite the various defects of Marx and Engels’s reflections on the ‘Jewish Question’, their critical insights vividly anticipate the failings of liberalism, Soviet socialism, and Zionism in emancipating Jews, while also reminding contemporary Marxists about the political urgency of human emancipation. At its core, the ‘Jewish Question’ remains a universal question, extending to all oppressed peoples and classes that have been rendered abandoned and dispensable beings.

Unorthodox Alliances at the Margins of the State: Haredi Jews, the Israeli State, and the Collaborative Battle Against Sexual Violence

Over the last decade, ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jewish society in Israel has witnessed an unprecedented attempt to place sexual violence high on the agenda, calling for concerted communal action and assistance to individuals in need. Based on a long-term anthropological fieldwork, I explore in this article how this revolution from within the Haredi sector catalyzes and is further solidified by unorthodox alliances with various agencies of the Israeli state. By this, I mean a range of pedagogic, discursive, and institutional processes of collaboration and trust-building, established between Haredi community leaders and representatives of the secular Israeli state. These unorthodox alliances constitute a two-way street of communication and adjustment, advancing, on the one hand, the socialization of Haredi populations to state laws, logics, and discourses, and requiring, on the other hand, that the state tailor its services and procedures to exercise culturally sensitive considerations. I analyze the labor invested in these alliances through the framework of “the margins of the state.” I contend that these alliances establish, or at least experiment with, arrangements that may ultimately reconfigure and recalibrate the relationship between the two sides.

Does the Buck Stop Somewhere? Blame Games and State Capture in the Legalization of the Israeli Land Grab

This article explores the intricate relationship between the Israeli state and Jewish settlers in the occupied Palestinian West Bank after the Oslo Accords (1993). It shows that, despite the accords, which prohibited the establishment of new settlements, such activities persisted. Instead, the accords triggered the seemingly spontaneous emergence of numerous illegal “hilltop settlements,” tolerated by higher echelons of government and actively supported by lower levels. These settlements subsequently underwent a gradual post hoc formalization process, ultimately leading to their full legalization. The article elucidates how a faction within Israeli society influenced segments of the government, employing blame games as a strategy to rationalize the legitimization of the Israeli land grab. Notably, it highlights the strategic and deceptive tactics employed by various Israeli governments in their dealings with the settler movement. The article concludes by reflecting on the political implications of the settler movement's success for the democratic character of the Israeli state.

From Zurishaddai to Menachem Mendel: The Shlemiel’s Journey from Ancient to Modern Israel

Abstract This essay explores the evolution and resilience of the shlemiel, a central figure in two millennia of Jewish culture. Rooted in biblical narratives, the shlemiel transitions eventually into a symbol of Yiddish and Eastern European diasporic life, embodying both comedic and tragic elements. Tracing his journey through cultural history, from German to Yiddish and modern Hebrew and American literature, theater, and film, the essay delves into the complexities of his character, rooted in folklore and revolving around mistaken identity. Themes of gender and sexuality, along with interpretative acrobatics add layers of ambiguity and complexity, shaping the shlemiel’s narrative in various literary and cultural contexts. Through a detailed analysis of works by authors ranging from Heinrich Heine through Sholem Aleichem, Franz Kafka, Saul Bellow, Philip Roth, to Sammy Gronemann, the essay demonstrates the shlemiel’s versatility and enduring presence in Jewish comedy. Moreover, it examines his role as both a pariah and an agent for social change, reflecting on his significance in different cultural landscapes, as he lands eventually in America and Palestine/Israel in the 20th century. By exploring adaptations and interpretations across time and place, this essay highlights the shlemiel’s resilience amidst shifting societal norms across the globe, offering insights into the enduring relevance of this iconic figure in Jewish literature and culture.

From Zurishaddai to Menachem Mendel: The Shlemiel’s Journey from Ancient to Modern Israel

Abstract This essay explores the evolution and resilience of the shlemiel, a central figure in two millennia of Jewish culture. Rooted in biblical narratives, the shlemiel transitions eventually into a symbol of Yiddish and Eastern European diasporic life, embodying both comedic and tragic elements. Tracing his journey through cultural history, from German to Yiddish and modern Hebrew and American literature, theater, and film, the essay delves into the complexities of his character, rooted in folklore and revolving around mistaken identity. Themes of gender and sexuality, along with interpretative acrobatics add layers of ambiguity and complexity, shaping the shlemiel’s narrative in various literary and cultural contexts. Through a detailed analysis of works by authors ranging from Heinrich Heine through Sholem Aleichem, Franz Kafka, Saul Bellow, Philip Roth, to Sammy Gronemann, the essay demonstrates the shlemiel’s versatility and enduring presence in Jewish comedy. Moreover, it examines his role as both a pariah and an agent for social change, reflecting on his significance in different cultural landscapes, as he lands eventually in America and Palestine/Israel in the 20th century. By exploring adaptations and interpretations across time and place, this essay highlights the shlemiel’s resilience amidst shifting societal norms across the globe, offering insights into the enduring relevance of this iconic figure in Jewish literature and culture.

Spiritual and indigenous funds of knowledge: how Palestinian Muslim teachers reclaim Islam and citizenship education in Israel

ABSTRACT Scholars have argued for better integration of religion and citizenship education through overarching goals of interreligious tolerance and inclusive citizenship. Yet, such debates often neglect the political dimensions of these subjects. In this study, we explore how Palestinian Muslim teachers in Israel interpret the intersections of Islam and citizenship education and how they draw on this intersection in their teaching. Through qualitative interviews with 15 citizenship and Islam teachers, we found that most teachers ground this relationship in their spiritual Islamic and indigenous Palestinian funds of knowledge. In their teaching, these funds can serve as counterhegemonic tools to deconstruct dominant forms of citizenship and Islam as defined by the Israeli state. We argue that the hybridization of these funds of knowledge has important educational implications for conceptualizing more critical and culturally relevant forms of Islam and citizenship education.

Does information matter? Online discourse on the Yemenite children’s affair in Israel after release of archival documents

PurposeThis study evaluates how publicly available archival documents shaped online discussions about allegations that thousands of children were kidnapped during the 1950s in Israel, known as the Yemenite children’s affair. It examines if access to historical records leads to more informed and rational public discourse, especially on social media.Design/methodology/approachUsing content analysis, this study examines Facebook posts from media outlets, politicians, NGOs and public groups between 2016 and 2021 to understand how the Israeli State Archives’ release of over 300,000 documents affected support of the kidnapping.FindingsDespite extensive archival information debunking the kidnapping theory, public opinion and discourse largely continued to support it. This suggests a complex interaction between information availability, preexisting beliefs, echo chambers and group allegiances, suggesting that access to factual data alone may not effectively challenge established beliefs in online public settings.Research limitations/implicationsSince data were collected only from Facebook, our conclusions cannot be generalized to other platforms. The study relies only on publicly accessible data and does not establish causality between exposure to information and shifts in opinion. Our findings show that disclosing archival information does not significantly benefit public political discourse on contentious topics but also point to the advantages of mediating information by politicians, NGOs and journalists.Originality/valueAs a unique case study, this research contributes to understanding the role of historical archives in digital-age public discourse. It highlights their potential and limitations in facilitating informed debate and deliberation, emphasizing the complexity of influencing established beliefs with factual data.

Hamas-Israel War: A Brief Analysis of First Two Phases of War

At the end of 2023, the Middle East experienced some new challenges. Among these new challenges, one of the most important of them all is the Hamas-Israel war. After almost four months of war and no end in sight, there are now growing questions about whether Israel will be able to accomplish its stated goals in Gaza. The brutality of the Hamas’s attack on October 7, the extent of the cruel massacre, shocked both the Israeli society and foreign public opinion. To better understand the factors of Hamas's operational success, the strategic surprise attack on Israel from Gaza, on October 7, 2023, needs a thorough analysis to understand all its political, intelligence, and operational failures aspects. It goes without saying that many elements of Hamas's brutal but largely successful attack are still unknown. Taking this into account, this paper focuses on only three elements of the ongoing war. Firstly, based on the qualitative methodology of research, this study evaluates and highlights the political background of the bloodiest attack in modern Israel's history which happened on October 7, 2023. Secondly, using the research methodology of data collection and analysis, this paper seeks to answer the still open-ended question, how was Hamas able to attack a country which operates one of the best intelligence organizations in the world by an extreme surprise? Finally, by using the narrative and historical models of qualitative research and the available data, this paper focuses on assessing the first and second phases of the war. Furthermore, the study formulates conclusions regarding the expected directions of change in the Israeli security system and some aspects of regional security implications of the ongoing Hamas-Israeli conflict. The potential result of the current paper is to present the reasons for the ongoing Gaza conflict based on the historical background. In addition, it provides a primary analysis, based on currently available information, of the first two phases of the obviously protracted Hamas-Israel conflict for the benefit of the community of researchers, scholars, and academics.