{
  "id": 12589412,
  "title": "Cheers for hardliners on Israel's campaign trail as security drowns out social and economic problems",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/cheers-for-hardliners-on-israels-campaign-trail-as-security-drowns",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-07T09:03:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/10/07/cheers-for-hardliners-and-jeers-for-palestinians-on-israels-campaign-trail/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a modest section of upscale West Jerusalem, nearly three hundred members of the city’s Anglo-Jewish community gathered for an election debate ahead of the general elections on October 27. The gathering, which was predominantly religious, featured politicians, their aides, leaders of the pro-Israel PR industry, and a British-Israeli rabbi and pundit whose family was tragically killed in a Palestinian attack in the West Bank in 2023. They were there to support and, on occasion, criticize the ten candidates from various factions of Zionist politics.\n\nThe presence of these influential individuals highlighted the significant role this community plays in shaping Israel's international perception at a time when its popularity is declining. While the panelists discussed security concerns, they largely ignored pressing domestic issues like the cost of living and the deteriorating state of education.\n\nThe audience enthusiastically cheered for Yishai Fleisher, an Israeli settler and social media figure affiliated with the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Fleisher praised Ben-Gvir for reducing car insurance rates due to a decrease in vehicle thefts. However, Critics have condemned Ben-Gvir's prison policies for Palestinians as \"a network of torture camps\". Other crime rates, particularly the murder rate among Arab Israelis, have worsened under his leadership.\n\nThe leftmost candidate in attendance, Moran Zer Katzenstein from The Democrats, received moderate applause for her work on women's rights. However, she received the loudest jeers when she questioned the audience about their support for expelling the population of Gaza. The audience responded with strong support for her stance, applauding loudly and passionately.\n\nOne of the panelists, Moishe Feiglin of the Zehut party, advocated for the total expulsion of Gazans, including infants, as potential threats to the Jewish population. His party's alliance with the Religious Zionist Party, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, is in a right-wing coalition. Smotrich recently promoted Israel's control of a large portion of southern Lebanon, stating that \"the world is not stopping us\".\n\nDespite the presence of various political parties, the debate did not fully represent Israeli politics. The two main ultra-Orthodox parties declined their invitations. The debate around enlisting ultra-Orthodox young men into the military received limited attention due to concerns about manpower shortages. Israeli-Arab parties, recently facing disqualification in the Supreme Court, were also absent. The only Palestinian speaker was Yoseph Haddad of Amcha Israel, a vocal pro-Israel influencer.\n\nFormer Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, represented by Amichai Chikli, accused Yashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot of being an \"opportunity\" for an Arab opposition coalition, as Eisenkot views Syria's President Ahmad Al Shara as a potential ally. The opposition parties focused on defending their candidates, many of whom have long-standing political careers, despite criticisms of broken promises and hypocrisy. The message, however, did not seem to resonate with voters. With the elections approaching, the former prime minister continued to face a decline in public opinion.",
  "summary": "In a normally quiet corner of upmarket West Jerusalem , almost 300 members of the city’s Anglo-Jewish community joined a raucous election debate three weeks before they will cast their ballots in Israel's general election on October 27. The crowd at the sold-out event was partly secular but mainly religious. The VIP front seats hosted politicians, their aides, doyens of the city’s pro-Israel PR…",
  "key_points": [
    "Nearly 300 Anglo-Jewish community members attend election debate in West Jerusalem",
    "Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir receives enthusiastic cheers",
    "Expulsion of Gazans, including infants, advocated by Zehut party leader Moishe Feiglin"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Cheers for hardliners on Israel's campaign trail as security drowns out social and economic problems",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/cheers-for-hardliners-on-israels-campaign-trail-as-security-drowns-12592195",
        "published": "2026-10-07T09:03:45.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}