Michal Livia Krumer-Nevo

This chapter explores the challenges faced by Arab-Palestinian social workers serving the Arab-Palestinian society in Israel and the practices they employ. Drawing on the concept of intersectionality and considering the sociopolitical-economic contexts of poverty, it distinguishes between challenges common to all social workers in Israel and those unique to Arab-Palestinian practitioners. Based on 51 semi-structured interviews in five social welfare departments, the findings highlight shared difficulties, including addressing material needs and interpreting so-called “maladaptive behavior” empathetically. Unique challenges include limited employment opportunities for service users, inadequate welfare services, and the absence of resources for people without legal status. Despite sharing ethnicity with their clients, many interviewees reported cultural distance, especially regarding patriarchal norms. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for structural change in the sociopolitical status of Arab-Palestinian society in Israel to improve the effectiveness and relevance of social work practice.