So, Who Are You Voting For?

“So, who are you voting for?” is one of the most loaded questions you can ask an Israeli today.

After three years of war, Israeli citizens are being given the chance to make their voices heard and become a force for change – or not.

In Israel, there seem to be two distinct camps: the pro-Bibi camp and the anti-Bibi camp. Essentially, this means that you will either vote for Benjamin Netanyahu, or vote for someone else simply because they aren’t Benjamin Netanyahu, regardless of the policies they may have laid out.

I’ve spoken to a handful of young Israelis from all sorts of backgrounds, many of whom are voting for the first time, about who they plan to vote for. And I have to say, some of their answers may surprise you.

I vividly remember speaking to one of my Israeli friends who isn’t religious, expecting her to support universal conscription and oppose the religious parties. So, it certainly came as a surprise when she told me that she believes everyone should be voting for Ben-Gvir or Smotrich, and that voting for anyone else would lead to the downfall of Israel.

However, the more I thought about it, the more her perspective made sense. She lives in a yishuv in Samaria, crosses the Green Line almost every day, and believes it is the most beautiful place in the world. For her, despite having served in the army herself and not being religious, voting for someone who aims to protect the yishuvim in Judea and Samaria is far more important than voting for someone who wants to end the Haredi draft exemption – a particularly hot topic amongst Israelis.

I asked her, “But what about civilian issues? The extent of the Supreme Court’s power, the Rabbinate’s monopoly over marriage and kashrut, or the issues surrounding public transportation, to name a few?”

Her response? Those issues simply don’t matter right now. In the eventual peacetime, they may be important considerations when voting, but in times of war, they take a back seat.

This gave me an interesting perspective. Amongst the people I’ve spoken to, those living in Israel’s periphery – the south, Judea and Samaria, and the north – seem to base their voting decisions primarily on security issues. Meanwhile, those living in the centre of Israel tend to focus more on day-to-day civilian matters.

Another friend, a fairly recent olah from Miami who considers herself Dati-Leumi (National Religious), told me that in the US elections, she voted for Trump and wholeheartedly supports his presidency. Yet here in Israel, she believes Eisenkot is the way to go.

At first glance, this seems a little unexpected. Trump himself has heavily endorsed Bibi, so supporting Eisenkot might appear contradictory. Her reasoning, however, is that for almost her entire life, Netanyahu has been Prime Minister. Particularly in recent years, she doesn’t feel that there has been enough meaningful change. “It took him over two years to free all of the hostages, there doesn’t seem to be a ‘day after’ plan for Gaza, and yes, under his leadership many prominent threats were eliminated, but ultimately, the danger of Iran hasn’t gone anywhere.” For her, voting for Eisenkot represents the possibility of real change in Israel.

Having spoken to other Dati-Leumi olim who moved here relatively recently, I’ve noticed a similar sentiment. Many believe that Eisenkot or Bennett is the right choice. As one put it, “We have seen what happened here, we moved here, but we want to see change.”

Then there is the perspective of two soldiers whose military service has primarily taken place in Judea and Samaria and the north.

“Only Bibi,” they told me.

Both made aliyah around seven years ago. One is religious, while the other converted to Judaism through the army but is not religiously observant. Although they share many of the views held by Ben-Gvir’s supporters, neither believes he should hold such a prominent position of power. However, to them, voting for anyone even slightly to the left of Netanyahu could only lead to disaster. “Only Bibi could have gotten us through these past three years. Only Bibi would have been able to work with Trump the way he did. Only Bibi can ensure our safety in the years to come.” They don’t believe that voting for Netanyahu makes them particularly right-wing. Rather, they see it as simply the logical choice for Prime Minister.

It seems almost impossible to predict who will win this election, or whether there will even be a clear-cut winner. But as Israelis, we are being given the opportunity to make our voices heard, whether that means voting for a new government or keeping the current one.

What has struck me most throughout these conversations is just how much our backgrounds shape our political choices. How you were raised, where you come from, and where you live now all seem to play a significant role in determining who you vote for. And sometimes, those choices aren’t quite as predictable as we might assume.

So, to everyone heading to the ballot box: be proud to exercise your right to vote in Israel’s democracy, and choose, with your heart, the Israel you believe in.