Israelization

Israelization or Israelisation (Hebrew: ישראליזציה, romanized: Yisraelizátzya), also called Israelification, is a term in sociology, study of culture, and politics of Israel that refers to the processes occurring among minority groups in Israel. A process in which minority groups adopt, at various levels, the lifestyle, language, culture, political and other characteristics of the dominant group in Israel – Israeli-born secular Jews.

Overview

The term is mostly used to describe the changes in the lifestyle and culture of the Arab citizens of Israel since Israel's creation. In this context, the term "Palestinization" is used to describe the opposite process – resistance from being overtaken by Israelization proponents and strengthening political and cultural ties with Palestinians living beyond the Green Line. However, sociologist Majid Al-Haj suggests these are not contradictory processes, and that there is an emergence of two parallel identities among Arab citizens of Israel which he called "Politicization". The equivalent term in Arabic is "Asralah" (أسرلة) derived from the name of "Israel" in Arabic (إسرائيل - Aisraail).

Israelization has been noted amongst the Druze community in Israel. One study noted a trend whereas the post-1950 Druze generation the younger the generation is, the likelier that there is a preference for Hebrew instead of Arabic with many younger Druze using social media having a near absence of Arabic usage amongst other Druze peers.

The term "Israelization" is also used occasionally to describe the social and political changes in Haredi society in Israel, in particular to describe integration into the Israeli political system, their increasing use of the general media in the Hebrew language, integration into the Israeli labor market etc. In addition, it is sometimes used to describe the assimilation of Jewish immigrants to Israel (Aliyah) among the native-born Israelis and amongst the veterans Jewish immigrants.