A significant majority of Israeli Arab 12th-grade students favor participating in civilian national service, according to a report from the Moshe Dayan Center's Konrad Adenauer Program for Jewish-Arab Cooperation.

The findings were unveiled at Tel Aviv University's Tel Aviv Conference, organized with the Kadar Foundation, on Tuesday.

Surveying both boys and girls, the research showed that 75.8% back volunteering for service outside military obligations, with 46.9% offering firm endorsement.

Data revealed minimal gender gaps, as 75.3% of males and 77.2% of females approved the concept.

Additionally, 69.1% of Israeli Arabs between 18 and 34 years old expressed similar support.

Largest Share of Arab Community Backs Coalition Participation, Poll Indicates

The poll also explored views on Arab parties in forthcoming Knesset elections and their potential role in governing coalitions.

An overwhelming 77.2% favored Arab parties entering a coalition, including 43.3% who supported alliances across the political spectrum and 33.9% preferring center-left partnerships.

Projected voter turnout among Israeli Arabs in immediate elections stands at about 53%, mirroring the 53.2% from the November 2022 Knesset vote.

Without a unified Arab slate, Hadash-Ta'al and Ra'am are projected to secure five and four seats, respectively, while Balad would fall short of the threshold.

A united list of the four main parties could boost turnout to 67% - the highest recorded by the program - potentially yielding 16 seats.

The survey delved into Arab-Jewish relations and key challenges for Israel's Arab community.

Nearly 60% of Arab respondents rated current Arab-Jewish relations as poor.

Yet, 63.7% affirmed belief in a viable Jewish-Arab political alliance, though only 39.7% saw such backing among Israeli Jews.

Regarding personal identity, one-third prioritized their Arab identity, followed by Israeli citizenship at 27.7%, religion at 24.5%, and Palestinian ties at 13.5%.

A slim majority, 53.3%, reported strong attachment to the state, versus 44.5% with weak ties.

Sense of belonging differed sharply by faith: 81.7% of Druze felt strong ties, compared to 53.3% of Christians and 50.5% of Muslims.

Older age brackets showed marginally stronger state affiliation.

Violence and crime topped concerns for 71.3% of Israeli Arabs, trailed by Palestinian statehood at 8%, education-employment-poverty at 7.4%, and planning-construction issues in Arab locales at 6.1%.

More than three-quarters described their personal safety as inadequate.

Violent events in Arab areas weighed heaviest, cited by 51.8% as the primary mood dampener.

Regional war fears affected 21.8%, Gaza's Palestinian situation 7.4%, and economic woes 8.6%.

Despite this, 68.3% rated their finances as satisfactory overall.

"Amid ongoing multi-arena conflict, much of Israel's broader public overlooks shifts in Arab sentiment," noted Arik Rudnitzky, the program's director and lead researcher.

"These results are vital. Arab Israelis outline a path to societal renewal via engagement and impact, spanning politics and social life," he added.

"Endorsement for Arab parties in coalitions persists - and has grown slightly despite the war."

"Most striking is the clear backing for placing Arab high school graduates in civilian service roles. This fosters deeper societal ties and offers youth structured post-graduation opportunities akin to peers," Rudnitzky explained.

"The data flags urgent needs like curbing crime-violence and bolstering wartime safeguards in Arab communities," he urged.

"Without proper security, war anxieties in Arab society are mounting."

"With Knesset elections nearing, these insights fuel essential reflection among Jews and Arabs alike," he wrapped up.