When the outside penetrates the inside: the relationship between Palestinian Israeli and Jewish Israeli social workers in mixed cities during the events of May 2021

The violent national events that occurred in Israel in May 2021 heightened the sense of anxiety and insecurity for Palestinian and Jewish citizens alike, particularly in mixed cities. This study examines the dynamics, emotions, and perceptions of Palestinian-Israeli and Jewish-Israeli social workers in mixed cities against the backdrop of these events. The study included in-depth interviews with 25 Palestinian-Israeli and Jewish-Israeli social workers in welfare departments in six mixed cities in Israel. The analysis was encoded inductively, informed by the principles of content analysis. Two themes emerged: (1) overt and hidden conflicts between social workers of both nationalities; and (2) challenges to cooperation against the background of the conflict. The research findings enable a deep and broad understanding of the complexity of the personal, national, and professional identities of Palestinian-Israeli and Jewish-Israeli social workers in Israel, reflected in their relationships with colleagues of the other nationality. Raising awareness of these aspects will facilitate developing appropriate tools for intervention programs and a direct and sensitive reference to these issues within the curricula of social work schools in Israel.