Why did the immigration of Mizrahi Jews create tensions in early Israeli society?

Following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the mass migration of Mizrahi Jews—those from North Africa and the Middle East—created significant social tensions.

These tensions were primarily rooted in the cultural differences between the incoming Mizrahi populations and the established Ashkenazi community, which held social and political dominance in early Israeli society. Upon their arrival, Mizrahi immigrants faced discrimination and mistreatment from the Ashkenazi establishment.12

Furthermore, systemic disparities contributed to these frictions: historically, the Sephardic and Mizrahi groups tended to be poorer, less educated, and underrepresented in higher political offices compared to their Ashkenazi counterparts. While these groups eventually became an integral part of the Israeli polity, the initial period of integration was marked by these significant socioeconomic and cultural divides.21