October 2000 and the Palestinian Citizens of Israel

Resumo

ABSTRACT: Many have researched the inferior citizenship status of the Palestinian citizens of Israel. Their status of inequality in Israel, a Jewish democratic state has been consistent ever since the establishment of the State of Israel. This inequality was unquestionably manifested following (and because of) the killing of thirteen of them by Israeli police forces during the October 2000 events. This paper aims to shed light on the unequal status of the Palestinian citizens of Israel vis-à-vis the thought and terminology of Hannah Arendt. It is through Arendt‟s thought on citizenship, human rights, social and political equality and statelessness that this paper shows that the status of legal inequality, which has been part and parcel of the Palestinian citizens‟ experience, is in effect a status of statelessness.

KEYWORDS: Israel, Palestinian-citizens/Arab-citizens, Hannah Arendt.