Arab–Jewish Relations Index
Prof. Yuval Feinstein, Prof. Sammy Smooha, and Dr. Nuhad Ali
The Goal: Examination of Arab–Jewish relations in Israel and making theoretical and applied knowledge about these relations accessible to broad audiences—decision-makers, educators, civil society organizations, and the general public.
The Arab–Jewish Relations Index in Israel comprehensively examines the attitudes of Arab and Jewish citizens toward one another and toward the state. Its purpose is to track changes in their attitudes over the years and assess their implications for building the foundations of a shared society . The Index, which began in 2003 and includes questions asked since 1980, examines sixteen recurring issues in which Arabs and Jews tend to disagree: separation, image of the other, alienation, distrust (toward the other side and toward state institutions), discrimination, collective memory, perceived threats, the legitimacy of coexistence, regional conflicts (Israel with Palestinians and others), regional integration (in the Middle East or the West), identity, minority leadership, minority autonomy, methods of struggle, policy and regime change, and overall assessment of the state of relations. Each survey also includes new questions designed to examine the impact of recent events.
The analysis is based on repeated public opinion surveys of the adult population using random, nationally representative samples. The Arab survey consists of 700 or more interviewees in face-to-face interviews, and the Jewish survey consists of 700 or more respondents surveyed online. All surveys, after processing, are deposited in the IsraelData database of the Israel Democracy Institute, which is open to the public.
Applied Component – Index Response Team:
In addition to the publication of the Index findings, a dedicated response team will be established to review the data and conclusions, identify issues requiring focused attention, and formulate position papers and recommendations for action directed to government authorities and decision-makers. The team will be composed of representatives from academia, government, and civil society, and will be led by Prof. Yuval Feinstein. The team’s work will be based on the findings of the Index, professional expertise, and field experience, and will aim to create practical connections between data, analysis, and action.