Abstract
This study examines the patterns of labor force participation among Israeli Arabs through the analysis of the relevant data and the estimation of participation equations. There are two main findings: an atypical pattern of participation over the life cycle among Arab men, i.e., a sharp drop in participation at a relatively early age, and a low average rate of participation among women, with a large degree of variation.
Among the explanations offered are the following: the concentration of Arab men in occupations that require physical ability and, as a result, retirement at a relatively early age, and dependence on family members, and, for women, the effect of the categorization as either "modern" or "traditional" on participation patterns.