Interethnic workplace relations in times of heightened social tension: Israeli-Arab teachers in Jewish schools post-10/7

Abstract

This exploratory study examined the interethnic workplace relations of minority Israeli-Arab boundary-crossing- Teachers working in Jewish schools (ATJ) with their majority peers consisting of Israeli-Jewish Principals (JP) and Israeli-Jewish Teachers (JT), during the initial months after October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel. We employed a software-assisted qualitative content analysis on a purposive sample of 12 ATJs, five JPs, and an additional six ATJ-supporting representatives who triangulated the findings based on their daily contact with both ATJs and JPs. The analysis of the findings suggests an interrelation model between JP–ATJ, and JT–ATJ interethnic workplace relations and the ATJs’ perception of their (own) teaching position post-10/7 attack. We conclude that (1) despite the surrounding heightened social tension in the aftermath of 10/7, most (75 %) of the ATJs perceived their JP as attentive, their interethnic workplace relations with peer JTs as healthy, and consequently, most (89 %) of these ATJs perceived belonging and mission in their position; however, (2) few of the ATJs perceived their JPs as disregarded or half-hearted and experienced half-hearted or hostile workplace relations with their JT peers, and consequently had a perception of otherness or persecution on their teaching position; and, (3) the surrounding heightened social tension breached into the interethnic workplace sphere and led to erroneous decision-making of JPs against their ATJs in one case in which Israeli-Palestinian conflicting context was involved. Implications for shared living and national resilience are further discussed.