Islamic Identity in Israel: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

This article examines Islamic identity and the challenges facing Muslims in Israel in defining identity and analyzes the relationship between Muslims and the state. Muslims in Israel are linked to different circles of affiliation that affect the formulation of identity. They are citizens of Israel, yet they belong to the Palestinian people and an Arab and Islamic nation at the same time.

There is no doubt that these affiliations are conflicting and must be reconciled, as the Israeli identity clashes with the Palestinian national identity in terms of narratives, concepts, and terminology. This contradiction creates an identity crisis among Muslims in Israel, in addition to tension between national and Islamic identity.

Islamic identity is characterized by a predominance of moral and human qualities, which entitles it to be considered a central and original identity that accommodates other incidental and practical identities. It is the primordial identity of the Muslims in Israel from which other identities branch off, which gives it a moral character