Arab-Israeli Research Articles

The Effect of the Mamanet Cachibol League on Psychosomatic Symptoms, Healthy Eating, and Social Support Among Arab Women: A Mixed-Methods Study.

The Mamanet Cachibol League (MCL), a community-based model developed in Israel, promotes physical activity and amateur team sports among women. Women in the Arab society have traditionally played few sports, especially team sports. The study aimed to assess the differences in health indicators and well-being, including psychosomatic symptoms, self-reported health, healthy eating habits, and social support, by comparing Arab women MCL participants and nonparticipants and examines benefits and motivations of community-based team sports for participants. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach included a cross-sectional study with intervention and control groups of Israeli Arab women aged 25-59years. Two-way analyses of covariance and multiple regression models evaluated demographics, well-being, healthy eating, and social support. Quality in-depth interviews with 30 MCL participants further explained the quantitative findings. MCL participants reported higher self-assessed health (P < .001) and decreased psychosomatic symptoms (P < .001) than nonparticipants. Healthier eating and well-being were also linked to MCL participation. The women sense of belonging improved social interactions, personal and professional happiness, and group dedication. MCL attendees felt empowered because the group advocated equality and valued women. Women said their involvement helped their families. Findings on the MCL community-based model suggest that team sports may serve as an effective tool for promoting health and well-being of Arab women and foster positive community relationships. The sense of belonging and personal empowerment derived from being part of a sports team may also contribute to positive mental health outcomes.

Factors associated with major adverse cardiovascular events among Arabs and Jews in Israel: a population-based cohort study

Abstract Introduction Arabs in Israel are at higher risk of cardiovascular mortality; however, there are no data on factors associated with disparities in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) incidence among Arabs and Jews. Purpose To study factors associated with MACE incidence among Arabs and Jews in Israel. Materials and Methods This is a cohort study carried out in urban localities of Hadera District in Israel. The study sample included 1,100 participants, stratified in equal numbers by ethnicity (Arab and Jewish), sex, and five 10-year age group (mean age: 51 years, range: 26-77). Data collected via in-person interviews conducted between 2001-2006 included socio-demographic characteristics and health-related behaviors (smoking, physical activity, and diet). Data on baseline diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease were collected from interviews and participants' health records. Information on MACE occurring during follow-up was determined based on hospital discharge diagnoses, recorded in the Israel Ministry of Health hospital admission database. MACE was defined as an acute coronary, cerebrovascular or peripheral artery event, or invasive procedure for its treatment. Factors associated with the time to first MACE were tested in Cox proportional hazards models. Sensitivity analysis included death from any cause as a competing risk, using Fine and Gray’s model. Results During a median follow-up period of 20 years, there were 221 first MACE during follow-up; 91 among Jewish participants and 130 among Arab participants, hazard ratio (HR) Arab vs. Jewish: 1.59; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22, 2.09, adjusted for age and sex. Arab ethnicity was no longer significantly associated with MACE, following further adjustment for years of education; HR: 1.32; 95%CI 0.95, 1.84. The HR (95%CI) associated with ethnicity after additional adjustment for health-related behaviors, body weight and baseline chronic morbidity was 1.02 (95%CI: 0.73, 1.42). A subgroup analysis among 950 participants, who did not have a baseline diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, produced similar results. These participants experience 147 first MACE during follow-up. The age and sex-adjusted HR (95%CI) associated with Arab ethnicity was 1.72 (1.23, 2.40), compared to 1.08 (0.72, 1.64) in a fully adjusted model. Competing risk analysis did not materially change these results. Conclusions Arabs in Israel are at higher risk for MACE. Lower socioeconomic position and higher prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors may explain the excess risk of MACE among Arabs. Improving cardiovascular health among Arabs should consider social determinants of health and cultural aspects.

Constitutional Overhaul, the War in Gaza, and the Puzzle of Civic Mobilization in Israel

Abstract Much has been written on the constitutional overhaul in Israel, and the attendant constitutional crisis in the first nine months of 2023. Since October 7, however, with the breakout of the Israel-Gaza war, the overhaul was seemingly shelved. This Article seeks to connect both events, by comparing the legal-political response to the overhaul with the legal-political response to the war. It asks why, given the intensity of the protest movement generated by the overhaul, there was a dearth of protest activity after the war, even though both events implicated similar values, namely the rule of law and individual rights, championed by the protest movement. I argue that a central reason for the disparity cannot only be explained by the dynamics of war but also due to the tensions and complexities inherent in Israel’s self-professed constitutional identity as a Jewish and democratic state. In particular, I argue that anti-overhaul protests appealed to liberal universalist values to garner bipartisan support, with the effect of bypassing substantive issues such as the occupation of the Palestinian Territories and discrimination faced by Israeli Palestinians. This explains the lack of Arab participation in the protests, as many perceived them to be an internal Jewish Affair. Thus, when post-war repressive measures mostly affected Israeli Palestinians, the protest movement failed to rally in their support. Although anti-overhaul protests could have brought about greater liberal consolidation in Israel, the relative lack of post-war mobilization casts lingering doubts on the possibility of long-term consolidation of liberal values in Israel. Attempts to depoliticize the protests, while perhaps successful in warding off the overhaul, and though impressive on their own, have likely failed in instilling deeper, more resilient, liberal values in Israel.

The Critical Role of Perceived Academic Institutional Support among Students in a Divided Society

Abstract Background To promote health equity, nursing schools must foster student diversity and develop future nurses’ abilities to care for patients from different backgrounds. Although academic experiences play an essential role in promoting multiculturalism, in Israel, where the Jewish-Arab divide is deep and central, this could be challenging. This study examined the attitudes of Israeli Jewish and Arab nursing students concerning their interactions across group lines. Methods In December 2022, 362 undergraduate students completed a survey on the association between cultural intelligence (CQ), satisfaction with the college’s support, and intergroup social interaction. Results The findings revealed that (1) Arab students (minority group) demonstrated higher CQ, especially regarding awareness of cultural differences and motivation for intercultural encounters; (2) Arab students perceived the intergroup encounter with Jewish students as closer and warmer than Jewish students; (3) Arab students’ satisfaction with the college’s support was higher than that of Jewish students; (4) Structural Equation Modeling revealed that (χ2/df=1.61, CFI=.970, TLI=.955, NFI=.927, RMSEA=.041) the support provided by the educational academic setting serves as a primary explanatory factor in the association between CQ and social distance. Conclusions Educational institutions should ensure their students feel supported to facilitate closer social interactions. This emphasizes the importance of proactive measures to encourage diversity and cultural competence in nursing education. Such efforts may positively impact the students’ mental health and enhance patient care. Key messages • To foster student social interaction in divided societies, academia must ensure a high sense of support. • Proactive nursing education promoting diversity and cultural competence may benefit student mental health and patient care.

Elite-public gaps in attitudes towards Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: new evidence from a survey of Czech parliamentarians and citizens

ABSTRACT The Czech Republic is known for its strong support of Israel, but it is unclear if Czech politicians and the public share this stance equally. We conducted a survey of Czech citizens and members of parliament on attitudes towards Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The results show that parliamentarians are more supportive of pro-Israel policies, blame Palestinians more for the conflict and view Czech-Israel relations more positively than the general population. Our findings provide the first empirical evidence of a gap between elite and public attitudes towards Israel, contributing to debates on foreign policy preferences.

Gaming the conflict: Fursan Al-Aqsa’s narrative of the Israeli-Palestinian struggle and its reception through moral disengagement

This study explores Fursan al-Aqsa: The Knights of the Al-Aqsa Mosque (developed by Nidal Nijm Games in 2022) highlighting its role in the portrayal of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a paradigm between propaganda and entertainment. By examining the game’s discourse, and its impact on player perceptions, this research sheds light on how video games can shape understanding and engagement with geopolitical issues. The research utilises Albert Bandura’s concept of moral disengagement to analyse the game’s content and its reception on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. By assessing how the game frames moral considerations through its narrative and gameplay, this study reveals the potential of digital games to affect player perceptions and contribute to the broader media landscape surrounding political issues. The analysis also explores the reception and re-interpretation of the game by players and content creators, thus offering insights into the complex interplay between video game content, ideological influence, and audience engagement.

Degrees of exclusion: The politics of heat adaptation in Palestine–Israel, 1950–1980

This article investigates the development of Israeli heat adaptation research from 1950 to 1980 and its role in advancing Israeli nation-building and settler-colonial policies. Focusing on the scientific career of the Zionist military doctor Ezra Sohar, renowned for reforming the Israeli Defence Forces' “water discipline,” the article traces the emergence of Israeli thermal physiological research. It reveals the shift from the view that certain races were better adapted to specific climates to a “universalized” notion of acclimatization as a physiological process possible to anyone. The universal notion of acclimatization created new forms of exclusion, as the indigenous Arab-Palestinian population, particularly Bedouins, lost their perceived racial advantage in heat adaptation; Jewish-Israeli thermal physiologists argued that Jews were better adapted to heat due to cultural factors. Finally, the article follows Sohar's advocacy for air conditioning, which he promoted as the “ideal solution” for establishing a Western, “developed” Israeli society. Thus, the article demonstrates how the rise of air conditioning during this period further reinforced the exclusion and marginalization of Bedouin communities. It illustrates how planetary dynamics of climate injustice and colonialist policies manifest locally and highlights heat exposure as a form of colonial violence. Sohar's story provides insight into a scientific community driven by the ambition to conquer heat, reflecting a political logic that, to this day, leaves neither past heat adaptation practices nor air conditioning as possible solutions for Bedouin communities coping with a rapidly warming planet.

Stressors in the work-family system and negative affect: a comparison between ethnic communities and genders

ABSTRACT The current study examined associations between stressors in the work-family system and negative affect among three ethnic communities in Israeli society. The total sample included 817 participants (65% women) consisting of 269 modern Jews, 147 ultra-Orthodox Jews and 269 Israeli Arabs. Participants completed measures of objective load in the family and work, role conflict, and negative affect. Work-family role conflict emerged as a significant mediator between objective load (experienced at work) and negative affect. Similarities and differences were found across ethnic communities and genders. The association between experiencing role conflict and negative affect is stronger among members of the modern Jewish community than among traditional ones (ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arabs). The research findings present a multifaceted picture regarding the relationship between stressors and their adverse impact on mental well-being across various ethnic communities. While some consistent patterns emerged, indicating a uniform impact of certain stressors, other findings suggest that the association between stress experienced within the family-work system and mental distress is heavily dependent on culture. Professionals are advised to develop culturally sensitive intervention programs that consider specific ethnic community cultural values at workplaces to alleviate tension in the work-family system.

Democracy, Liberal Zionism, and Civil-Military Relations in Israel: A Review Article

Abstract Two books on civil-military relations in Israel, published eighteen years apart, focus on Israel's future as a Jewish democracy. Peri's 2006 volume depicts the security establishment as a threat to civilian rule, whereas Ziv, in his 2024 book, portrays waning political influence of the Israeli military and security services as associated with democratic backsliding. The authors each favor the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but differ on whether opportunities for it have been missed because the military and security establishment has had too much or too little influence over government policy. Consideration of the one-state reality suggests the extent to which both arguments have been overtaken by events.

The complexity of teaching Hebrew in Israel's Arab school system

The complexity of teaching Hebrew in Israel's Arab school system

The Development of the Jordanian National Guard in the 1950s

After the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Palestinians living in the West Bank began to infiltrate Israel. These infiltrations were characterised by robberies and break-ins, and sometimes the killing of Israelis. Israel responded to these actions with military raids and harm to the civilian population in the villages of Jordan from which these infiltrators set out and crossed the border. As a result, a defensive Jordanian National Guard was developed. Shaul Bartal presents the Jordanian military concept behind the Jordanian National Guard and outlines its military successes in repelling Israeli attacks in the period preceding the 1956 Suez Crisis. ◼

Public Sentiment Analysis of the Israel-Palestine Conflict on Social Media Using BERT

General background Israel-Palestine conflict has drawn significant global attention, particularly in how it is perceived and discussed on social media platforms. Specific background understanding public sentiment surrounding such geopolitical issues is crucial for media monitoring, diplomatic efforts, and reputation management. Knowledge gap previous sentiment analysis studies often lack the ability to accurately handle multilingual and context-rich datasets, especially in analyzing neutral sentiments, which are commonly overlooked. This study aims to apply the Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model to analyze public sentiment towards the Israel-Palestine conflict on the X platform, focusing on Indonesian users. Results Using BERT, the model achieved 93% accuracy, with a precision of 0.95, recall of 0.93, and F1-score of 0.94. The model performed well in predicting positive and negative sentiments but showed room for improvement in handling neutral sentiment. Novelty this study introduces the implementation of the BERT Transformer model for the multilingual and context-sensitive sentiment analysis of tweets, specifically addressing a high-stakes geopolitical conflict. Implications the findings demonstrate the potential for using advanced natural language processing techniques like BERT for monitoring public opinion, brand management, and detecting societal tensions on social media, offering valuable insights for stakeholders involved in conflict resolution and diplomatic strategies. Highlights: Achieved 93% accuracy in sentiment analysis using BERT on X platform. Identified strengths in predicting positive/negative sentiments, with challenges in neutral sentiment. Demonstrated BERT’s effectiveness in handling complex geopolitical social media data. Keywords: Sentiment Analysis, BERT Transformer, Israel-Palestine Conflict, Social Media, NLP

In-between group membership within intergroup conflicts: The case of Druze in Israel.

In-between groups encompass individuals who simultaneously belong to social categories that are often seen as mutually exclusive in addition to maintaining their distinct group identity. The current paper sheds light on how members of in-between groups manage their relations within intergroup conflicts. Three studies were conducted among the Druze minority in Israel, a group that is ethnically Arab and shares the Arab identity with the Arab-Palestinian minority in Israel and simultaneously identifies as Israeli. In Study 1 (N = 300), we found that identification as Druze was positively associated with the identification as Arab and Israeli. In Study 2, we examined Druze's endorsement of conflict narratives compared to Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian citizens (N = 271). While the latter participants endorsed their ingroup narrative more than the outgroup narrative, Druze participants endorsed both narratives equally. In Study 3, we tested Druze's solidarity with the Palestinian minority against the 2018 Nation-State Law. We found that overall, Druze participants (N = 568) endorsed more inclusive amendments that benefited the Druze and Palestinians than exclusive amendments that benefited the Druze only. In all studies, we tested the role of identification with the rival groups. We discuss these findings and suggest possible underlying mechanisms.

IL-7-dependent and -independent lineages of IL-7R-dependent human T cells.

Infants with biallelic IL7R loss-of-function variants have severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) characterized by the absence of autologous T lymphocytes, but normal counts of circulating B and NK cells (T-B+NK+ SCID). We report 6 adults (aged 22 to 59 years) from 4 kindreds and 3 ancestries (Colombian, Israeli Arab, Japanese) carrying homozygous IL7 loss-of-function variants resulting in combined immunodeficiency (CID). Deep immunophenotyping revealed relatively normal counts and/or proportions of myeloid, B, NK, and innate lymphoid cells. By contrast, the patients had profound T cell lymphopenia, with low proportions of innate-like adaptive mucosal-associated invariant T and invariant NK T cells. They also had low blood counts of T cell receptor (TCR) excision circles, recent thymic emigrant T cells and naive CD4+ T cells, and low overall TCR repertoire diversity, collectively indicating impaired thymic output. The proportions of effector memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were high, indicating IL-7-independent homeostatic T cell proliferation in the periphery. Intriguingly, the proportions of other T cell subsets, including TCRγδ+ T cells and some TCRαβ+ T cell subsets (including Th1, Tfh, and Treg) were little affected. Peripheral CD4+ T cells displayed poor proliferation, but normal cytokine production upon stimulation with mitogens in vitro. Thus, inherited IL-7 deficiency impairs T cell development less severely and in a more subset-specific manner than IL-7R deficiency. These findings suggest that another IL-7R-binding cytokine, possibly thymic stromal lymphopoietin, governs an IL-7-independent pathway of human T cell development.

Palestine and the Dialectic of Racial Capitalism

This article situates racial capitalism as a historical-theoretical framework to generate new and alternative theory on the question of Palestine. It argues that the genocidal assault on Gaza must be understood as the clearest expression of the logic of racial capitalism and the terrain upon which we must generate theory and strategy able to dismantle Zionism, colonialism and Imperialism. Many of the critiques of Zionism deploy frameworks of apartheid, understood by radicals in South Africa as a social structure reproduced by racial capitalism. It was understood that such a system could only be effectively dismantled through a national liberation project which understood race, class, capital and Imperialism as a single contradiction which must be overthrown as a totality. Similarly, earlier theorists within the Palestinian anti-colonial struggle, such as Fayez Sayegh, understood Zionist settler colonialism as an outpost of Western Imperialism. By tracing the emergence of racial capitalism within the South African anti-apartheid struggle and the similarities between the white minority regime and Zionism, this article acts as a point of departure to drawing together histories of the Black radical tradition and the Palestinian struggle in crafting radical theory relevant for our present moment.

Media Ownership and Its Role in Shaping News: Analysing Republika's 1999 and 2021 Coverage in Light of the 2024 Gaza Genocide

This study aims to examine the reporting of the Israeli aggression towards in the Indonesian newspaper Republika during the years 1999 and 2021, with a contextual reference to the 2024 Gaza genocide. The reports were selected through purposive sampling, focusing on direct coverage from both 1999 and 2021. Additionally, interviews were conducted with members of Republika's editorial team. Using Entman’s framing theory as well as Shoemaker and Reese’s Hierarchy of Influences model, the research identifies notable differences in news framing between the two periods. In 1999, the coverage in Republika largely emphasised political support from prominent figures, both in Indonesia and internationally, advocating for the defence of Palestine. In contrast, the 2021 coverage highlighted support from civil society, including athletes and celebrities. Differences are also evident across several levels of the Hierarchy of Influences model, with the media routine, organisational, and ideological levels being the most prominent. In 1999, Republika’s reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the international section was relatively independent, focusing primarily on political issues. By 2021, however, the reporting followed a compartmentalised model, where one section complemented and connected with others. Despite the differences in time and ownership, Republika's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remained consistent. The newspaper continues to assert that the Palestinian people must be defended, a position shaped by its Muslim readership, who maintain a strong psychological connection with Palestinian Muslims. Keywords: Framing, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, media ownership, the influence of mass media hierarchy, Republika.

Attitudes of Jewish and Muslim Religious Leaders Towards the Declaration of Principles as a Test Case for Judaism and Islam between Peace and Conflict

The Declaration of Principles (Oslo I Accord, September 1993) was the inaugural groundbreaking agreement in the Israeli‒Palestinian Identity conflict, which revolves around consecrated territory as well as identity components on both sides. This historic accord elicited myriad responses, yet the stances of religious figures are particularly consequential given the profound and intricate religious underpinnings of the conflict. This paper presents the attitudes toward the Declaration of Principles (DOP) held by six religious personages: Rabbi Yehuda Amital, an Israeli Jew supporter of the DOP; Rabbi Shlomo Goren, an Israeli Jew who opposed it; Sheikh Abdullah Nimer Darwish, an Israeli Arab who endorses the DOP; Sheikh Raed Salah, an Israeli Arab who rejects it; Sheikh ʿImad al-Falouji, a Palestinian proponent; and Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a Palestinian opponent. Based on rulings, statements, and press publications, this paper analyzes their rationales and utilization of religion’s social influencing mechanisms, seeking to understand religion’s capacity to confer legitimacy upon alternative religious values enabling conflict resolution through political means, thereby impacting the conflict toward reconciliation or, conversely, escalation. This paper aims to characterize the discourse and reasoning to propose more efficacious means of attaining broad religious legitimacy for future, sustainable peace accords.

Economic Echoes of Conflict: Evaluating the Palestine-Israel War’s Influence on Middle Eastern Markets

ABSTRACT This study examines the Palestine-Israel conflict’s effects on Middle Eastern financial markets, including conventional and Islamic indices. Employing wavelet cross-correlation, global VAR (GVAR), and Granger causality analyses, we identify complex patterns in pre-conflict geopolitical risk (GPR) and stock returns, including diverse lead/lag behaviors and amplitude fluctuations. Post-conflict, these dynamics show smoother adjustments and stronger cross-correlations. The pre-conflict wavelet GVAR analysis reveals country-specific reactions to anticipated GPR shocks, marked by asymmetric responses starting around 20 days post-shock and varying across nations. This period also features significant shock spillovers in stock returns, both positive and negative. During the conflict, initial reactions include substantial spikes in raw stock returns, suggesting possible co-crash scenarios. These evolve into predominantly positive short-term shock spillovers, with medium and long-term responses suggesting stock markets as potential safe havens. Lastly, wavelet Granger causality analysis reveals bidirectional causality between GPR and stock returns over the long term, with specific countries showing varied causality patterns during the conflict. The inclusion of Islamic indices demonstrates homogeneous responses to GPR shocks, similar to conventional markets, highlighting the integrated nature of these markets. This study underscores the complex temporal dynamics of market responses to geopolitical shocks and provides insights for policymakers and investors.

Framing the shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in English and Arabic news headlines: a critical discourse study

The study aims to investigate the ideological manipulation of language within news media headlines regarding the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. This study employs Van Dijk’s socio-cognitive model of Critical Discourse Analysis to conduct a comparative qualitative analysis of 100 Arabic and 100 English news headlines, exploring linguistic features at both microstructure and macrostructure levels. The analysis delves into identity construction for the victim and perpetrator, revealing the discursive linguistic manifestations of underlying ideologies in two distinct linguistic and cultural contexts. The microstructure analysis reveals the preference of Arabic headlines for active voice structure, rhetorical devices of numeration, emphatic language, and metaphors. On the other hand, English headlines preferred the passive voice structure and the rhetorical device of litotes. The macrostructure analysis unravels the cognitive interplay between news media outlets and their target audience, demonstrating how selective headlines significantly impact public opinion. It shapes their comprehension and interpretation, particularly within the broader context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ultimately, this research highlights the dynamic interplay between language, ideology, and power in news media, offering key recommendations for understanding their comparative impacts.

Spiritual Leadership in the Upheaval of Settler Colonialism

In the current global landscape, characterized by religious fervour, social and political unrest, economic instability, and environmental challenges, spiritual leaders stand as pivotal agents of change. Their role is especially crucial in contexts marred by ingrained injustices and persistent conflicts, such as the Palestinian–Israeli settler colonial context—a reality I have been intimately involved with over three decades of reconciliation work. This paper contextualizes scholarship on spiritual leadership within the Palestinian–Israeli context by integrating it with settler colonial theory. By applying insights about spiritual leadership to this context, three key traits of spiritual leaders—(1) spiritual authority, (2) discernment, and (3) the ethical use of power—are identified as essential for envisioning an alternative future. By embodying these traits, spiritual leaders can effectively guide their communities through the multifaceted realities, advocating a transformative approach to leadership and interreligious work.