Ethno-national divisions in Turkey and Israel: a comparison of system support

This study explores the differences in system support between the ethnic majority and ethnic minority populations in Turkey and Israel, taking into account three specific dimensions of system support: national identity, evaluation of democracy, and institutional trust. A comparison of the gaps in these dimensions is conducted using surveys. The findings show that, in both countries, the majority tends to show higher levels of system support than the minority. Among the Turkish Kurdish minority, lower levels of system support can be found across all the dimensions examined, while among the Palestinian citizens of Israel minority, the gaps are bigger in the cultural aspect of national identity but much smaller in the evaluation of democracy and institutional trust. These findings are discussed in light of both the differences between the two regimes and their dissimilar strategies for addressing ethno-national divisions and the theoretical implications of examining the multidimensionality of system support.