The power and limits of ethnonationalism: Palestinians and Eastern Jews inIsrael, 1974-1991

The relative standings of four ethnic groups - Muslim Palestinians, Christi an Palestinians, Asian-African Jews, European Jews - were compared, using m obility data from 1974 and 1991. The findings show that despite the lack of government support and the prevalence of inexorable discrimination against Israeli Palestinians, they have narrowed the gap with Asian-African Jews i n both education and occupational prestige. This finding demonstrates that ideological and political hegemony is not always effective in improving the socio-economic standing of preferred minorities (Asian-African Jews), and that social and economic structures may counterbalance the anti-Palestinian nationalist ideology. The analysis suggests that residential and education al segregation of Palestinians protects them from direct competition with E uropean Jews, whereas Asian-African Jews have to compete with this dominant group in schools, as well as in the labour market.