This study investigates the structure and components of the Arab identity repertoire in
Israel. We analyse the relative salience of each component and the structural relations
among the components. In addition we interpret the meanings associated with each
component of the Arab identity repertoire in Israel. Our study differs from traditional
investigations of Arab identities in Israel in considering identity as a multi-dimensional
phenomenon, and in interpreting the meanings that the respondents assign to the
relevant identities. Empirically we find that most Arabs in Israel feel strongly attached
to at least three identities, none of them dominating the others. The correlations among
the identities are low, meaning that they are only marginally affected by the feasibility
of alternative identities and more by the type of practices performed in each respective
milieu. In this respect it is interesting to see that the Palestinian identity is not associated
with citizenship beyond national pride, while the Israeli identity is expected to supply
them with a sense of citizenship. Our finding that different groups constitute for
themselves different relations among the components of the identity repertoire suggests
that our multi-dimensional model supplies a better explanation for the structure of Arab
repertoires of identities.
Keywords: Identity Repertoire; Palestinians; Arabs in Israel; Druze; Religion
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