Explainer: Who are the Palestinian citizens of Israel?

A minority in their homeland, Palestinian citizens of Israel have faced decades of discrimination, marginalisation and violence. They are descendants of Palestinians who survived the Nakba and remained within the de facto borders of Israel after its establishment in 1948. Today, they number around two million, making up roughly a fifth of Israel’s population. Although they hold Israeli citizenship, they continue to face discrimination and state repression. Deep-rooted inequalities persist in housing, land rights, education and public services, while they struggle with high levels of violent crime and inadequate police protection. They have also faced deadly police violence and arrests during protests in solidarity with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Despite these challenges, Palestinian citizens have organised politically and contested elections in their struggle for equal civil and political rights. So who are Palestinian citizens of Israel? What challenges do they face, and how much influence could they wield over the country’s political future? Read more: Who are the Palestinian citizens of Israel? A demonstrator holds Arabic and Hebrew signs saying 'Palestine Flag' and 'Returning' during a Nakba Remembrance Day ceremony at Tel Aviv University on 13 May 2026 (Jack Guez/AFP)