ABSTRACT
The collective identity of a nondominant minority conceivably reflects its problematic status in the wider society. The identity problem of Israel's Arabs hinges on the degree of congruence between two elements: civil and national. National identity is no less important for Jews than it is for Arabs. Although only one tenth of the Jewish respondents choose nationality above other identities, they, in fact, express their strong ties to Jewish nationalism through religion and Israeli citizenship. The 1976 survey responses substantiate a number of tendencies. First, nationality is the most central identity among Arabs. A second tendency confirmed by the data is that the Arabs are deeply divided over their self-identity. Third, unlike the Jews, for whom Jewish and Israeli identities are complementary and mutually reinforcing, the Arabs experience their civic and national identities as contradictory. Fourth, Israeli Arab identity is already a major controversial issue between Arabs and Jews.
