Ethnic and religious minorities

The divide in Iran's protests: Why ethnic minorities are not taking to the streets - opinion

Most Iranian ethnic minorities disdain both Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and the MEK, who have been calling for protests. However, that does not mean that they still should not join.

Protesters gather as vehicles burn, amid evolving anti-government unrest, in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video released on January 9, 2026.
 Druze have been serving in the IDF since the state was born.

Druze, Arab enlistment shows minorities choosing Israel, rejecting apartheid narrative - editorial

A funeral is held for late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, Iran.

Iran is persecuting its own citizens, especially South Azerbaijanis - opinion

 A man stands near a structure that was demolished by Israeli authorities, at the Bedouin village of Khirbet al-Hamidiyeh, in the northern Jordan Valley, on June 17, 2023

Neglect of Israel's Bedouin communities could lead to catastrophe, activist warns


US gov't commission ‘seeks assurances’ for status quo of Jerusalem holy sites

The commission said it had recorded an increase in the targeting of churches, mosques, and synagogues, as well as religious sites.

A priest shows a gravestone allegedly vandalized by Jewish men in the Christian cemetery on Mount Zion, in the Old City of Jerusalem, January 4, 2023.

Less minority and civil rights will weaken liberty , not democracy - opinion

There are reforms that can be enacted without harming civil liberties, like reducing the jurisdiction of the Court over essentially political issues.

 LIKE OTHER parliamentary systems, Israel is essentially but not completely democratic, says the writer.

Herzog urges Ben-Gvir to calm the dialogue around minority populations

The Otzma Yehudit chairman assured the president that he intends to serve the entire population of Israel in his role as national security minister.

 President Isaac Herzog meets with Otzma Yehudit leader MK Itamar Ben Gvir, December 28, 2022.

The role of ethnicity in Israel after 75 years - opinion

Only about 5% of Israelis rate ethnic cleavage as the main source of tension in Israel - stronger by far are tensions between Arabs and Jews or Right and Left.

 THE GROOM breaks a glass, the traditional conclusion of a Jewish wedding ceremony. We have witnessed a narrowing of ethnic gaps and greater intermingling of Ashkenazim and Mizrahim, perhaps most significantly in ethnic intermarriage, says the writer.

70% of Israeli-Arabs 'certain' or 'think' they will vote, poll finds

The actual vote is expected to be approximately 50%, expert says.

An Israeli Arab stands behind a voting booth before casting her ballot at a polling station in the northern town of Umm el-Fahm March 17, 2015. Millions of Israelis turned out to vote on Tuesday in a tightly-fought election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing an uphill battle to defeat a

Russia targets ethnics minorities, protestors for forced conscription

The presence of non-ethnic Russian battalions in the Ukrainian theatre of war has been noted since the beginning of the war, with Far East communities suffering disproportionate losses.

 Service members of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic vote during a referendum in Luhansk

Bedouin sector Israeli teachers take part in US embassy exchange program

The principals recently returned from the United States, where they took part in an exchange program initiated by the US Embassy in Israel.

 Head of the education committee MK Sharren Haskel visits at a school in the Bedouin town Kuseife, February 17, 2022

Israel elections: 'They don't want minorities in Likud' - MK Fateen Mulla

Back in July, Fateen Mulla also sharply criticized Likud after the party made the decision to move the slot reserved for a minority MK to number 44 on the list.

 Members of the Druze community protest for the government financial support they were promised, at the Azrieli junction in Tel Aviv on May 10, 2020.

Iran steps up persecution of its Baha’i minority

Tehran is seen as scapegoating the group to distract attention from the deteriorating situation in the country.

A BAHA’I family in Fars province stands near where an arson attack was committed.

Liberman calls for Nation-State Law to be changed for Druze community

Druze activists and leaders welcomed the call to change the Nation-State Law.

Druze-Israelis protest the Nation-State Law