American Jews don’t vote in Israel - so why are they being polled on its election? - opinion
American Jews have every right to care deeply about Israel, but their political preferences should not become a surrogate Israeli electorate.
A recent survey by the Israeli think tank JPPI found that a majority of "connected" American Jews prefer an opposition victory in the upcoming Israeli election. The 804 respondents showed a 54% preference for the opposition, a 14% preference for the current coalition, and 24% who said it was not their place to express a preference.
However, this survey has raised questions about its relevance, as only 8% of the respondents are Israeli citizens eligible to vote in the election. The rest are American Jews who may or may not be Israeli citizens. Israeli institutions should be cautious when using American Jewish opinions to determine who should govern Israel, as this may not accurately reflect the preferences of the Israeli electorate, who directly experience the consequences of the election.
Moreover, the survey's focus on American Jews may overlook pressing issues within American Jewish communities, such as Jewish continuity, identity, education, and intermarriage.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
