Some Israelis have started saying their quietly held views out loud: they believe the spike of violence among Arab Israelis reflects something that is somehow inherent in Arab culture; that schools are teaching children to turn to a life of crime, and that violence is somehow ingrained in the DNA of Arab society. 

Both factually and morally, this view is wrong. But that doesn’t mean the education system does not have an important role to play in combating crime in Arab society. Research from the Israel Democracy Institute finds that one in three young Arab Israelis between the age of 18 and 24 is classified as NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). Thirty-three percent. This statistic represents nothing less than a generation in distress.

The tragedy of loss of income comes with the tragedy of a loss of meaning. When a young person wakes up each morning to a reality in which they have no purpose, no structure, and no sense that they can shape their surroundings, a deep void in their identity begins to form. And where hope is absent, violence can become the quickest way to gain a sense of belonging and self-worth. Crime can instill a distorted sense of power. Conventional wisdom suggests law enforcement is the right path for combatting this, and, indeed, law enforcement is part of the picture. But we must also address the void in identity that violence is filling, and the path to doing so lies in education for civic readiness as members of a democracy.

“Civic readiness” refers to the ability to make positive change in society through a combination of civic knowledge, skills, actions and mindset. It is a mental and practical toolkit for the engaged citizen of a democracy, synthesizing core values, knowledge and skills; empowering individuals to think critically and interpret reality rather than accept systemic barriers as inevitable. It provides the capacity to channel impulsive or violent reactions into constructive dialogue and negotiation, and, crucially, it fosters a profound sense of what academics refer to as efficacy, that is, the conviction that one’s voice carries weight and that collective action can indeed shape the future.

This point bears repeating: violence is not a cultural fate, as many Israelis feel, nor is it embedded in the DNA of Arab society. A gun gives them a way to declare, “I am here, and I have power.” The sense of alienation that many Arabs feel fuels what psychologists describe as learned helplessness.

Civic readiness is what enables the shift from this passive victim identity to that of an active, influential member of society. For young Arab citizens, civic readiness can help them navigate between their Arab national identity, which is distinct from Israel’s Jewish majority, and their civic identity as members of Israel’s democracy. This makes it possible to find meaning and agency within Israeli society without relinquishing who they are. In this sense, it represents a new form of social mobility: a ladder that allows young people to rise above learned helplessness and alienation, creating conditions for increased social equity and financial well-being, both of which are essential for a thriving society. 

To achieve this, we must instill civic readiness in two parts of the education system.

First, the formal education system. Israel’s education system puts students on “tracks” which can be vocational and technical or more traditional academic tracks. In both cases, classrooms must become laboratories for critical thinking. Schools must be more than just training grounds for the labor market. They must cultivate in students the sense that they are capable, engaged citizens with influence on the world around them. When students possess both professional skills and the ability to analyze social realities, the perceived need to assert themselves through physical force diminishes, and the cycle of violence begins to unravel from within.

Second, informal education. Every Arab town and village must have accessible, extracurricular frameworks for civic engagement and social entrepreneurship through youth movements and community centers. This is about far more than keeping kids off the streets. Anyone who’s been a member of a youth group will recall the sense of belonging, purpose, and passion it can instill in children and young adults. Through meaningful involvement in community life, the stereotype of the “troubled young man” can give way to the identity of the “social entrepreneur,” someone who actively shapes the future of their life and their community.

As the discourse increasingly looks for someone to blame and focuses on short-term solutions, we can take action to promote long-term solutions that strengthen the civic infrastructure in Arab communities. When young Arab citizens feel valued and empowered, we will strip criminal organizations of their most powerful fuel: despair.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)