Introduction to Improving Arab‐Jewish Relations in Israel: Theory and Practice in Coexistence Educational Programs

Abstract

Israeli Jewish and Arab experts within Israel have developed innovative intergroup relations programs, educational efforts designed to improve relations between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs. Social scientists, educators, and practitioners on both sides of the Arab-Jewish conflict have dedicated themselves to lessening the hostility between these two groups within Israel through coexistence educational training. This issue presents theory, methods, and data from these coexistence educational programs. The introductory article presents a brief history of this conflict; the groups' differing perceptions regarding the dispute; some information about the role of culture, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity in the discord; and some of the social psychological processes that perpetuate and recreate the hostilities. Last, it provides a brief preface of this issue's articles.

Educating Jewish and Arab children for tolerance and coexistence in a situation of ongoing conflict: an encounter program

“…The educational system in Israel is segregated by ethnicity and language (Jewish sector/ Arab sector). Therefore, intentional, planned and inclusive coexistence programs have a vital role for they are the primary and most significant mechanism for intergroup interaction among school-age children and adolescents (Ministry of Education, 1984; Bar-Tal, 2004;Stephan et al, 2004). Educators, in cooperation with school counselors, school psychologists and the whole school staff, can play an active role in this educational effort for coexistence.…”

Internationalization of Secondary Education—Lessons From Israeli Palestinian-Arab Schools in Tel Aviv-Jaffa

“…Data comparing the Palestinian-Arab and Jewish education systems testify to a lack of equality, budgetary discrimination, and underdevelopment of learning programs and content that acknowledges Palestinian-Arab culture and identity. In addition, disproportional underrepresentation of Palestinian-Arabs exists in governmental educational planning, supervision, and management (Stephan, Hertz-Lazarowitz, Zelniker, & Stephan, 2004). Palestinian-Arab schools are found to provide different individual and cultural services or programs than Jewish schools (e.g., Central Bureau of Statistics, 2011).…”

Adolescents Exposed to 7 Years of Political Violence: Differential Relations Between Exposure and Its Impact for Jewish and Arab Israelis

“…For the Palestinians, the conflict brought reoccupation by the Israeli army, destruction of homes, and dire economic hardship. For the Israelis, all sense of security was disturbed by a wave of terrorist attacks occurring throughout the country (Ghanem 2001;Stephan et al 2004 (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2007. These statistics present an objective indicator of divisibility of the 7 year period 1998-2004 into three major categories.…”