A new Ma’agar Mohot poll has produced somewhat disturbing findings regarding the attitudes of Jewish Israeli schoolchildren about Arab Israelis.
According to the poll, taken among 536 15-18-year-olds, 50 percent of Jewish Israeli schoolchildren believe that Arab Israelis should not be granted rights equal to their Jewish counterparts.
Furthermore, 56 percent of Jewish Israeli schoolchildren surveyed said Arab Israelis should be prevented from running for Knesset, while 50% of the Jewish youngsters who defined themselves as religious said they believe the “Death to Arabs” slogan was legitimate.
The survey further showed that nearly 70% of Arab youngsters living in Israel defined themselves as being “Palestinian patriots,” and that 20% don’t feel a part of the country.
Minister for Minorities Affairs Avishai Braverman called the results of the survey “most severe.”
“I believe that it’s the result of ignorance and a campaign of incitement that has been with us a long time,” he said, calling for “meaningful” educational activities to raise awareness of other races. “We came here to set up aJewish state, but it’s also a state for all its citizens.
Yuval Lipkin, head of the Citizens' Empowerment Center in Israel, said that while the survey was exceedingly worrying, there was cause for optimism.
“The problem is getting worse. Racism is severe,” he said. “But the nice thing is that these are youths who can still be molded and among whom gaps can be bridged, which cannot be said of adults.”
MKs and educators were due to visit Tel Aviv University on Thursday to try to find a way change the young Israeli mindset.