1948 Palestinians: The Statistics
1948 Palestinians are not regarded as citizens of the State of Israel with full and equal rights but as residents. As long as Israel maintains its racist policy towards the Arab-Israeli population and to continue to regard Israel as a Jewish State, it cannot be expected that all citizens of the State of Israel will enjoy full democratic rights. There is a particular concern for the rights of those still live in unrecognised villages.
The 1948 Palestinians assumed that the peace process would not only bring a solution for the Palestinian population in the occupied territories, but would also bring a solution for them. Now they have come to realise that this is not a likely scenario. Many 1948 Palestinians, and in particular the younger generation, increasingly see their future in Israeli society through a process of integration. There is a fear, however, that this might mean a loss of cultural, religious, social and historic identity while in practice, discrimination will continue to exist.
There is thus a need for the 1948 Palestinians to identify a new agenda which view the rights of the 1948 Palestinians as minority rights and their struggle to obtain full and equal rights as a struggle similar to the ones of minorities elsewhere in the world.
ARAB ASSOCIATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Major Comparative Statistics
Categories
Arabs
Jews
Population at the end of 1995, total = 5,619,000
19,0 %
81,0 %
Annual percentage of population growth - 1995
3.8
2.4
(excluding immigrants)
3.1
1.2
Infant mortality rate per 1000 live birth - 1996
9.7
4.9
Average persons per room in home - 1995
1.6
1.0
Average persons per household - 1995
5.1
3.3
Average monthly income of salaried urban males - 1994
2,494 NIS
4,555 NIS
Average monthly income of salaried urban females - 1994
1,154 NIS
2,235 NIS
Percentage of families living under the poverty line - 1995
(after transfer of payments and direct taxes)
31
15
Percentage of poor families raised above the poverty line by transfer of payments and direct taxes (government intervention) - 1995
36
53
Median years of schooling - 1995
10.2
12.2
Average number of students per teacher in primary schools 1- 1995/6
24.1
12.4
Selected Comparative Statistics
Categories
Arabs
Jews
1
Per capita local government budget Shfa Amr (A) and Migdal Ha'Emeq (J), NIS, 1997
1,495
2,587
2
Proportion population living in overcrowded conditions, 1997
31,6 %
5,7 %
3
Proportion of total welfare budget received, 1998
12,5 %
87,5 %
4
Proportion families under poverty line, 1996
28,3 %
16,0 %
5
No. Patients per doctor (Kupat Hoalim), 1998
1,900
1,400
6
Infant mortality rate per 1,000 live birth, 1995
9.1
5.5
7
Average no. Pupils per classroom, 1996
31.0
27.0
8
Proportion of schools with psychological services
33 %
95 %
Source for all statistics Central Bureau of Statistics, except (3) The Advocacy Center for Palestinians Equality in Israel, (5) Galilee Society for Health Research and Services, (8) The Follow-up Committee on Arab Education.