Racism Debate and Israel: Impact of Discriminated Groups on (Re)forming of Israeli and International Discourses
Abstract
The chapter features key debates over racism in Israel in the context of the Jewish ethnic division between Ashkenazim and Mizrahim within the contemporary Israeli and international discourses. Examining particular dimensions of modern Israeli society, politics, and democracy allows arguing that the “Mizrahi question” has a deep imprint in all spheres in focus.
The chapter introduces several significant subjects, including a post-colonial critique of ethnic relations, discussion on Mizrahi self-awareness and self-positioning in society, its political consequences, and assesses whether the increasing number of intermarriages between Ashkenazim and Mizrahim is closing the socioeconomic gap. Further, it questions the ideological and historical roots of current racial discrimination that has manifested itself in the framework of contemporary Israeli democracy, specifically the Nation-State Law passed in 2018.
Finally, it seeks to determine whether an ongoing higher visibility and growing recognition of Mizrahi culture affect the external perception of Israel; principally, the influence on international relations and the bond between the Jewish Diaspora and Israel.