The New Wave of Israel’s Discriminatory Laws: The Legal Status of Palestinian Arab Citizens of Israel over the Last Decade — Mossawa Center, September 2014.

This report examines the legal, political, and social status of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, who make up roughly 20% of the country’s population. ⭐

It argues that a growing body of laws and policies has deepened inequality, creating what the authors describe as a two-tiered system of citizenship that privileges Jewish citizens over Palestinian Arab citizens.

1. Palestinian Arab Citizens of Israel Are Both Citizens and an Indigenous Minority

2. Israel’s Identity as a “Jewish State” Creates Structural Inequality

3. Israel Lacks Constitutional Guarantees of Full Equality

4. Citizenship and Immigration Laws Create a Two-Tiered System

5. Land Laws Have Transferred Palestinian Land Into State and Jewish Control

6. Land Planning and Housing Policies Continue to Exclude Palestinian Citizens

7. Bedouin Citizens Face Unique Forms of Displacement

8. Palestinian Political Participation Faces Legal and Structural Barriers

9. Arab Civil Society and Political Expression Are Increasingly Restricted

10. The Overall Trend Is Toward Deepening Inequality

⭐ Top Star Facts (Laws & Policies)

1. Law of Return (1950)

Any Jew anywhere in the world can immigrate to Israel and receive citizenship, while Palestinians displaced during the 1948 war and their descendants do not possess a comparable right of return. The report identifies this as one of the clearest examples of differential treatment based on national identity.

2. Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law (2003)

This law restricts Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza who marry Israeli citizens from obtaining residency or citizenship through family reunification. The report notes that between 1994 and 2008, roughly 130,000 people entered through family reunification, yet only 7 were convicted of offenses against the state.

3. No Constitutional Right to Equality

Israel’s Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty (1992) protects certain rights but does not explicitly guarantee equality. The report argues this omission gives lawmakers greater flexibility to enact policies that prioritize the state’s Jewish character over equal citizenship.