Earlier today Phil and I wrote about a new survey of Israeli attitudes by the Pew Research Center. The poll response that is generating the most attention is the finding that almost half of Israeli Jews agreed with the statement “Arabs should be expelled or transferred from Israel”:

Israeli Jews are divided on the question of whether Arabs should be allowed to live in the Jewish state. The survey asked Jews whether they strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree with the statement that “Arabs should be expelled or transferred from Israel.” Roughly half of Israeli Jews strongly agree (21%) or agree (27%), while a similar share disagree (29%) or strongly disagree (17%).

The Institute for Middle East Understanding collected the following quotes from Palestinian leaders inside Israel and other members of the Palestinian community responding to the poll findings. One theme that is immediately clear is that no one was surprised. – Adam Horowitz

Dr. Ahmad Tibi, Longtime member of the Israeli parliament (Knesset) and leader of the Ta’al (Arab Movement for Renewal) party, which represents Palestinian citizens of Israel. He is a part of the Joint List coalition and one of 10 deputy speakers in the Knesset.

“Last month an Israeli man was sentenced to only four months in jail for throwing hot tea on me, causing burns to my face and eyes. Even though I am a member of Israel’s parliament, what happened to me did not come as a shock precisely because of the rampant anti-Arab racism in Israeli society highlighted by the Pew findings. “As long as Israelis continue to see Palestinians as unworthy of basic human rights and dignity, the crisis here will persist. We were here before the state of Israel was created and we will remain steadfast in the face of efforts to “transfer and expel” us from our homeland. We are the indigenous inhabitants of the land yet the Israeli government treats us like invaders or unwelcome guests. We will not accept this reality that the extremist Israeli government encourages, the primary inciter being Netanyahu. We will continue in our struggle for justice and peace.”

Basel Ghattas, a member of the Israeli parliament (Knesset) from the Balad party, which represents Palestinian citizens of Israel. He is a part of the Joint List coalition and is currently one of three Palestinian Knesset members serving a four-month suspension.

“Sadly, these findings do not surprise me at all. Palestinians face Israeli racism and discrimination — regardless of whether they are citizens of Israel, residents of the occupied West Bank and Gaza, or refugees in exile. Even as a member of Israel’s parliament, I am not exempt. I have been suspended for four months by my colleagues and have encountered other efforts to silence my voice simply because my concerns, identity and history as a Palestinian are unwanted here. And I am not alone — I am facing this alongside my Palestinian colleagues here in the parliament. We must move toward a future where the humanity, dignity, and legitimate rights of Palestinians are recognized.”

Diana Buttu, Ramallah-based analyst and Palestinian citizen of Israel, former advisor to Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian negotiators, and policy advisor to Al-Shabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network.

“The results of the Pew survey are entirely unsurprising. Palestinians in Israel live under an oppressive regime that aims to demonize Palestinians, particularly Palestinian citizens of Israel. Israeli political parties have run election campaigns calling for our ethnic cleansing. We’ve been frequently referred to and treated as a fifth column, and scores of laws discriminate against us. It is acceptable to be racist in Israel: the Prime Minister has made latent racism mainstream.”

Yousef Munayyer, Policy analyst at the Arab Center of Washington and executive director of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation. Munayyer is also a Palestinian citizen of Israel.

“These findings demonstrate how a state that claims to be both Jewish and democratic actually functions. Toward non-Jews, primarily Palestinians, living under its control, the state is Jewish. Toward Jews, it is democratic. “This system of privilege, which 79% of Israeli Jewish respondents support, is aimed at treating people differently based on who they are so that one group can remain firmly in control of power. This is what apartheid looks like and while the Israeli system has always been this way, the recent rightward and nationalist drift of its politics has led the public to proudly embrace what was once less openly discussed. This troubling reality has deteriorated in recent years to this new low. Observers should take note as the sentiments expressed by respondents in this poll may quickly translate to new and even harsher apartheid policies.”

Suhad Bishara, acting general director of Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel: