Attitudes towards Intercultural Sensitivity among Muslim-Bedouin Education Students in Southern Israel: A Proposed Educational Mode

As part of the Arab-Palestinian minority, uniquely defined by political history rather than immigration, this group navigates complex cultural, social, and personal dilemmas when entering Israeli academic spaces and encountering Jewish society. Employing a qualitative case study, the research analyzed reflections from 16 Bedouin students in a second-year education program who participated in a course involving mixed Arab-Jewish group work. Findings revealed feelings of "intercultural personal struggle" and "intercultural distress", reflecting a dynamic tension between a need for distance (often linked to the political context) and a strong desire for closeness, open dialogue, and learning the other's culture. Attitudes toward a pedagogy of intercultural sensitivity varied, from passive reliance on institutional initiatives or lecturer guidance to an investigative point of view recognizing specific qualities and tools of this pedagogy. Key barriers identified included language difficulties (especially Hebrew for Arab students) and physical and cultural distance resulting from demographic separation. The study noted that unmediated meetings could lead to cultural judgment and that mere joint presence in an academic space was insufficient for creating closeness. Drawing on these findings, the study proposes a six-step educational model for fostering continuous intercultural care. This model emphasizes learning the other's culture, addressing historical inequality (specifically demographic and educational injustice), developing consciousness that "intercultural distance is manipulated" for responsible interaction, relevant coursework, and practical projects. It accounts for the group's complex, dynamic identity and conflictual reality, suggesting future educators require training in both intercultural closeness and the ability to take responsible distance when necessary.