JERUSALEM (JTA) — While most Israelis oppose separation of Jews and Arabs in hospitals, nearly half of Israeli Jews would not live in the same apartment building as an Arab family, a survey found.
Some 49 percent of Israeli Jews told Israel’s Channel 2 that they would not live in the same building as Arab families, compared to 42 percent who said they would be willing. Nine percent said they were not sure.
The survey broadcast on Saturday comes after Jewish Home lawmaker Bezalel Smotrich said last week that Arab and Jewish mothers in Israel’s maternity wards should be placed in separate rooms. His statement followed an Israel Radio report that some Israeli hospitals acquiesce to requests to separate Arab and Jewish patients.
Eighty-two percent of Jewish-Israeli respondents said they would let an Arab doctor treat them, while 13 percent said they would not.
Some 34 percent of Jewish respondents said they supported segregation between Jewish and Arab women in hospital maternity wards, and 61 percent said they should not be separated.
The survey was conducted on April 7 among 505 Hebrew-speaking respondents.
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