‘Entry is only allowed for those who love Israel’: erasable citizenship and the Arab Palestinian citizens

This paper examines the manufacturing of insecurity among Arab-Palestinian citizens in Israel following the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza. It argues that the persecution of Arab-Palestinian citizens reveals ongoing stigmatisation and exposes the fragile foundations of citizenship in Israel. The study develops bottom-up approaches to citizenship contestation, drawing on performative and affective citizenship theories to challenge the “argument for citizenship” that promises inclusion and equity for Palestinians. It contends that, through acts of persecution, ordinary Jewish citizens redraw the contours of an exclusively Jewish citizenship and strengthen their affective identification with the state. Introducing the term “erasable citizenship,” the study shows how non-dominant groups can be deprived of their citizenship rights even when their formal status remains unchanged, revealing a dark side of citizenship activism.