Israel's Arab Citizens: Peering into the Future

13:00, 19 Sep 2008
RUSI, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET

Link to map: multimap

About the event:

For decades, the status and fate of Israel’s Arab citizens has been a hotly disputed subject. They are full citizens of the state, but are not subjected to all the obligations of an Israeli citizen and – some argue - do not enjoy all the rights either. The difficult questions persist: who are these Arab citizens of Israel? Is their identity to be seen as merely a question of civic duties, or does it have wider strategic implications? Can they share several cultural and national identities at the same time? And, finally, can they act as a bridge between Israel and its immediate neighbours?

In this RUSI Middle East Forum, Dr Haim Koren will address these questions and examine the status of Israel’s Arab citizens and the complexity of the Palestinians’ identity alongside the development of Arab nationality. Dr Koren will also explore the implications for the future of Israel’s defence strategy within the broader Middle East.

Dr Haim Koren was most recently the Director of Political Planning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Israel. Previously, he has held leading posts as the Director of the Middle East Division at the governmental Centre of Political Research, and as the Deputy Director of the Religious and Sects Department.

He is the co-author of the forthcoming, Mauritania's Complex: Ethnic Identity, Regional Role and Global Jihad (IDC Herzliya, 2008) and Darfur Identity Crisis: Islam, Tribalism, Ethnology and Environment from Historical Perspective (London-Portland, 2008).

Priority will be given to RUSI members and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.