Israeli Arab members of the 15th knesset: Between Israeli citizenship and their Palestinian national identity

One of the outcomes of the Arab nations' struggle for independence from Western powers was the division of the Arab National Movement into subideologies, and, as a result, the establishment of separate nation states with their respective specific ideologies. At the start of the twentyfirst century, it looks as though this split continues. The Palestinian National Movement is likely to witness yet another split: in spite of common Palestinian ideological and emotional obligations and commitment, the Palestinians now face quite a number of constraints, which may lead to the emergence of several new national Palestinian movements. Perhaps the first indication of such a trend is the political behaviour of Israeli Arab members of the 15th Knesset (the Israeli parliament), who have demonstrated since the October 2000 violence inside sovereign Israeli territory a new kind of Palestinian nationalism: Israeli Palestinian, unique to them. Perhaps even the State of Israel is beginning to recognize the development of a new Palestinian people-a segment of the Palestinians, with unique characteristics and a strong emphasis on its uniqueness vis-à-vis other Palestinians, the State of Israel and its policies regarding the Arab community.