Ben-David warns excluding Arab parties from government may cost Israel's economy

Shoresh Institution president Dan Ben-David warns that excluding Arab parties from coalition talks risks wasting the economic potential of Arab citizens, citing rising educational attainment and household investment.

A new report by the Shoresh Institution for Economic and Social Research, headed by Professor Dan Ben-David, reveals growing efforts by the Arab community to advance education and enhance its participation in the Israeli economy, at a time when the Israeli political scene is preoccupied with the debate over the participation of Arab parties in the next government. Ben-David warns that excluding the Arab community could deprive the Israeli economy of important growth opportunities. The data show an increase in the share of education spending out of total Arab household expenditures from 3.7% to 4.8% over a decade, a rise in the percentage of Muslim women holding university degrees from 4.7% to 22.9%, and a decline in the fertility rate among Muslim women by about 40%. The annual number of murder victims in the Arab community has also doubled since 2023. Ben-David stresses that the ongoing debate over the legitimacy of Arab parties' participation in government distracts from the fact that the future of the Israeli economy depends on the level of education and skills of future generations.