Usual Suspects: Minorities, Police and Citizenship in Israel
By: Guy Ben Port, and Yair Yassan -
The police may be the most important example of the modern state, which has been defined by Max Weber as a “human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory.” It is difficult to imagine political order, conflict, or social protest without the presence of police. Uniformed officers provide a concrete manifestation of concepts such as sovereignty, rule of law, and political community, yet scant attention has been given to law enforcement among political researchers in Israel and abroad. This book studies police and policing within the social and political context in which it operates. The ways in which people and groups are policed, either as victims or as suspects, and how citizens perceive law enforcers are indicative of citizenship and status. Being over-policed or under-policed directly affects the ability of individuals to exercise their citizenship.
The first chapter of the book provides a theoretical overview and framework that explains the main concepts of police, citizenship, and equality, as well as a discussion of Israel’s citizenship regime and police force. The chapter examines the political and social implications of the role police play in society, and how they impact (and are impacted by) citizenship. The second chapter explores the policing of Arab citizens in the early years of statehood; in particular, over-policing and securitization.
The third chapter, which is also historical, discusses ethnicity and the absorption of Mizrahim – Jews who immigrated mainly from Muslim countries. Even though Mizrahi immigrants were part of the Jewish collective, they were relegated to the periphery and suffered discrimination. The fear of unrest afforded the police a key role in maintaining social order. We examine both major and minor protests between 1948 and 1973 to demonstrate the over-policing, criminalization, and securitization that took place in conjunction with these demonstrations.
Chapter four examines a more contemporary immigration – that of the Ethiopian Jews – and discusses how skin color affects policing. Like Mizrahi immigrants, Israelis of Ethiopian descent are part of the Jewish collective and their immigration was promoted as demonstrating the country’s commitment to Jews in need across the globe. Documented police violence against young Israelis of Ethiopian descent and evidence of over-policing and other examples of discrimination triggered widespread protests by a new generation that demanded acceptance and an end to systemic racism.
In chapter five, we return to the case of Arab citizens. In previous years, over-policing and police violence were the main concern. In the last two and a half decades, however, Arab citizens have become the victims of violent crime, and under-policing has left them exposed and unprotected. We explain under-policing as another form of discrimination that negatively affects citizenship and discuss the dilemmas it presents to Arab citizens vis-à-vis the state.
The study of Israel’s citizenship regime through the lens of law enforcement provides a complex and illuminating perspective. The policing of citizens is a matter of status and rights, but citizenship is also a dynamic arena in which struggles for recognition and equality take place. Moreover, effective policing depends on legitimacy and gaining the trust of citizens. in the final chapter we discuss the lessons learned. The epilogue, written in the wake of the events of October 7 and the war in Gaza, re-examines old debates and raises new concerns for fair and effective policing.