The Palestinian-Arab community is experiencing difficult conditions due to the ongoing war on Gaza. The Israeli authorities have intensified security surveillance to monitor and track any statements that "support or align with terrorist organizations," according to the new Israeli definition post-October 7. As a result, the persecution and incitement against a large segment of the Arab community have increased, leading to many losing their jobs and primary sources of income, exacerbating the already difficult economic conditions and increasing poverty and marginalization. These practices are supported by official state entities, complicating the existing situation.
These repressive measures come amid escalating political and social tensions, as the state exploits the war and conflicts to justify discrimination against Arab workers. Cases of mass dismissals of workers without compensation have been recorded, and some have been permanently barred from returning to their jobs or seeking new employment, creating a severe humanitarian crisis. The suffering of families dependent on these workers' incomes has worsened, pushing many to face the risks of deliberate impoverishment policies, especially as half of the Arab community lives below the poverty line.
In the context of pursuing Arab workers, the Israeli police arrested Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, a lecturer at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, on charges of "incitement to violence." The police raided her home in the Old City of Jerusalem, arrested her, and took her to the "Motsa" police station near Jerusalem for investigation. This step comes amid a campaign of incitement against Shalhoub-Kevorkian due to her anti-war stance on Gaza since October 7. The professor had signed a petition within the Hebrew University demanding an end to the war on Gaza and described Israel as an apartheid regime, which angered the university, leading to her suspension on March 12. The decision was later reversed on March 27 after protests from Arab and Jewish students and lecturers.
Clalit Health Services launched a wide-ranging dismissal campaign targeting many Arab workers due to social media posts allegedly supporting terrorism, which are unfounded accusations. In the health sector, a nurse was also dismissed from her job at the Bnai Zion Medical Center in Haifa for posting Quranic verses on October 7, which were interpreted provocatively and considered alignment with terrorist organizations.
Arab citizens of Israel fear expressing their opinions in the "only democratic state in the Middle East," even though it does not violate written law.
In response to these violations, the Mossawa Center has been following hundreds of cases of persecution and dismissal of Palestinian-Arab workers during the war, providing significant support at various levels. The center has received approximately 400 requests for assistance, requiring support in documenting cases, gathering evidence, accompanying in courts, and approaching state institutions to reach suitable solutions. The Mossawa Center calls for urgent intervention to protect the rights of Arab workers and provide necessary support, demanding independent investigations and holding those responsible for these violations accountable.
