Palestinian Israelis are often dismissed. Yet our voice is key to peace

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the recent wave of violence are widely covered and discussed. In contrast, there is very little awareness ofPalestinians who are also citizens of Israel. Despite representing a sizeable minority – 20% of Israeli society – and holding a unique position of deep connections with both, our complexity remains an untold story. As a native minority living in Israel, we are tossed on the waves of political whim, and given hope only as a charade, as it is dashed before our eyes. This seems to be our fate. In the past month we have experienced a pendulum swing of extremes, from the Israeli government passing an economic plan to inject almost $4bn into Arab society, and narrow some of the most stark disparities; to prime ministerBinyamin Netanyahu’s speech at the site of a murderous attack in Tel Aviv where he held all of Arab society accountable for the actions of a madman. This is far from an exception, rather the rule itself. Palestinian citizens of Israel are at best a political pawn, more often a forgotten or dismissed entity.

Only yesterday, I received a phone call from an Israeli newspaper, asking me to comment on a survey showing that 50% of Israelis are pro-transfer – moving Arab Israelis from their homes. Meir Kahane’s ideas, outlawed in the 1980s for being too extreme and inhumane, are back on the table. I don’t think this survey reflects reality – a yes or no question in such a matter is a very simplistic way of treating it – but it is striking when given that simplistic choice half of Israelis answered yes.

As a Palestinian musician and artist living and working in the heart of Israeli society, I am often torn. Between loyalty to my individual passions, my artistic freedom and my national responsibilities. Between integrating into Israeli society, yet remaining true to Palestinian culture and the struggle for equality. When I represented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009 together with the Jewish-Israeli singer Noa, the pressure from my Palestinian compatriots to withdraw was overwhelming. And, when I voiced my feelings against the escalation of the Israeli army’s actions within Gaza at the time, I was branded “an enemy from within” by Jewish-Israelis. My Facebook feed labels me both a fig leaf for the occupation or a terrorist, depending on which day of the week it is, sometimes both at the same time.