What is Apartheid? (Written by the Israel Digital Center. Date of writing: 12/03/25)

Exploring the true meaning of apartheid and separating fact from fiction.

In recent years, the term “apartheid” has often been used in political discourse about Israel. But what does it actually mean, and does it apply here in Israel?

Definition of Apartheid

Apartheid is an institutionalized system of racial segregation, in which one group systematically oppresses another through discriminatory laws and the denial of basic rights. It includes measures such as forced separation, political exclusion, and violent repression.

A Real Example – Apartheid in South Africa (1948–1994)

Under the apartheid regime in South Africa, the white minority, less than 20% of the population, ruled over the Black majority through a strict system of segregation. Black citizens were denied the right to vote, restricted from living in certain areas, and received inferior education and healthcare. Protests were violently suppressed, and racial hierarchy was enforced by law.

The Origin of the Claim Against Israel

The accusation that Israel is an “apartheid state” began appearing in the early 2000s, mainly promoted by political movements such as the BDS campaign and some UN bodies. Their goal was to delegitimize Israel internationally by framing the Israeli–Palestinian conflict as racial oppression rather than a territorial or national dispute.
To assess this claim, it’s important to compare facts, not slogans.

Real Apartheid vs. Reality in Israel

Examining the Facts

Discriminatory Laws?

Unlike apartheid South Africa, Israel has no racial laws granting special rights to Jews over Arabs. In fact, Israeli law explicitly guarantees equality, and affirmative action programs often promote opportunities for Arab citizens in education and public service.

Denial of Rights?

All citizens, Jewish, Arab, Druze, and others, have full political rights. Arab representatives have consistently served in the Israeli parliament and government. In the 25th Knesset, ten Arab members were elected through democratic elections.

Segregation?

There are no laws separating citizens by ethnicity. Jews and Arabs live, study, and work together in cities such as Haifa, Jaffa, and Ramla. Thousands of Arab, Druze, and Bedouin citizens serve in the IDF, police, and national institutions.

Violent Repression?

In apartheid regimes, the oppressed population shrank due to violence and persecution. In Israel, the opposite is true: the Arab population has increased from about 156,000 in 1948 to over two million today.

Public Opinion

According to a 2023 Washington Institute survey, around 75% of Arab citizens in Israel said they prefer to remain Israeli citizens rather than live under Palestinian Authority control. This reflects a shared civic reality rather than systemic oppression.

Conclusion – Understanding the Term

Israel, like any democracy, faces social and political challenges. But equating it with apartheid South Africa is false and misleading.

Using the term “apartheid” inaccurately erases the suffering of those who lived under true racial segregation and distorts the complex Israeli–Palestinian reality.

Understanding the real meaning of apartheid matters. because facts, not slogans, should shape how we see the world.