Celebrating 50 Years Since the Repeal of Martial Law (1948-1966)
Menachem Begin Heritage Center, 6 S.U. Nahon Street, Jerusalem 94110
The implications of martial law on partnership between Jews and Arabs in Israel
In partnership with the Menachem Begin Heritage Center
Schedule of Events
5-6 p.m.: Martial Law: A Historic Perspective
- Dr. Thabet Abu Rass, co-executive director, Abraham Fund
- Dr. Sarah Ozacky-Lazar, head, Forum for the Promotion of the Arab Society in the Academia, Van Leer Jerusalem Institute
- Prof. Arye Naor, head, Politics and Communications Department, Hadassah Academic College
- Prof. Mordechai Kremnitzer, vice president, Israel Democracy Institute
Moderator: Dr. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, director Center for Democractic Values and Institutions, Israel Democracy Institute
6:15-7:30 p.m.: Arab-Israeli Relations – 50 Years After the Repeal of Martial Law
- MK Benny Begin, Likud (tentative)
- MK Dr. Yousef Jabareen, Joint List
- MK Yael German, Yesh Atid
- MK Issawi Frej, Meretz
Moderator: Amit Segal, Channel 2
Arab-Israeli Relations: Is Political Participation Possible?
Yohanan Plesner, president, Israel Democracy Institute
7:30-8:15 p.m.: The Right's Desecration of the Human Rights Discussion
Herzl Makov, head, Menachem Begin Heritage Center
Closing remarks: TBD
The event will be live-streamed on the Menachem Begin Heritage Center and Israel Democracy Institute websites | Event in Hebrew
Between 1948 and 1966, Israel’s Arab citizens lived under martial law. During this period, many restrictions were imposed upon the Arab population that violated basic civil rights and subjected them to discrimination. For example, Arab citizens were required to present travel permits in order to leave their communities, and had to receive permits for some of the jobs in which they worked. Although demands that martial law be lifted were made in the Knesset as early as the mid-1950s, various proposals on the issue were rejected. It was only in 1966, almost two decades after martial law had been imposed, that Prime Minister Levi Eshkol stood at the Knesset rostrum to announce its repeal.