Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Palestinians in Israel: Bare Citizenship during the Gaza War

  • Mohammed Khalaile

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023 exposed the fragility ofPalestinian citizenship inside Israel, causing an unprecedented wave ofpolitical repression, loyalty tests, andpublic incitement against Israels'Arab citizens. These measures were not just a result of wartime emergency. Rather, they were extensions of prewar measures that embedded and reinforced Jewish ethnocratic dominance over the state. This article demonstrates how citizenship for Palestinians in Israel has been hollowed out, producing what may be termed "bare citizenship." This article argues that the systematic exclusion of Palestinian citizens accelerates Israels' democratic decay, deepens Jewish-Arab estrangement, and undermines the prospects for peace.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages17
JournalMiddle East Journal
Volume79
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2026
Externally publishedYes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

  • Ethnic democracy
  • Crisis

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Palestinians in Israel: Bare Citizenship during the Gaza War'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this