Poll: Half of Palestinian Men in Israel Feel Unsafe in Public Spaces

A recent survey conducted by Geocartography on 800 adult residents in Israel reveals significant disparities in feelings of safety and access to healthcare between Palestinian citizens and Jewish citizens. The poll found that 42.5% of Palestinian citizens and residents in Israel report feeling unsafe or completely unsafe in public spaces, compared to 19% of Jewish citizens. This figure rises to 50% among Palestinian men, versus approximately 37% of Palestinian women. Conversely, only 9.7% of Palestinians stated they feel very safe in public, compared to about a quarter of Jewish citizens.

Crime and violence are a primary daily concern for 25% of Palestinians, significantly higher than the 9% of Jewish citizens who cited it as their main worry. Among Palestinian women, economic hardship or income loss emerged as the biggest concern for nearly 37%. The survey also highlighted financial barriers to healthcare, with 24.1% of Palestinian men and 12% of Palestinian women reporting they had forgone medical services or medication due to cost in the past year, compared to about 8% of Jewish men and women.

Further challenges for Palestinian women include avoiding sensitive personal health discussions with family doctors due to fear of prejudice. 14.5% of Palestinian women reported this, compared to 5% of Jewish women. Additionally, 16% of Palestinian women felt personal familiarity with a doctor was an obstacle to seeking care, versus 6% of Jewish women. Among women seeking help for serious health issues, only 21% felt they received an adequate response, compared to 38% of Jewish women.

Regarding mental health, the survey indicated differences in treatment patterns. 30.3% of Palestinian men experiencing distress used prescription medication, compared to 20.6% of Jewish men. Private psychotherapy was utilized by 12.1% of Palestinian men versus 22.8% of Jewish men, while public mental health services were accessed by 21.2% of Palestinian men compared to 9.6% of Jewish men. The gaps were less pronounced between Palestinian and Jewish women.

Roni Ben Kanaan of the Health Policy Department at Physicians for Human Rights in Israel stated that the findings demonstrate an inseparable link between societal violence and crime within the Palestinian community and public health. He added that the lack of safety, healthcare access barriers disproportionately affecting Palestinians, and specific obstacles faced by Palestinian women reflect inequality that impacts health and the right to health. Ben Kanaan concluded that the fight against discrimination and inequality for Palestinian citizens and residents of Israel is also a fight for health.