Israeli Voters Focused on Cost of Living, Not Security

By Hamodia Staff

The meat section of the Rami Levy supermarket in Modi’in last month. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

YERUSHALAYIM — With less than three months to go before elections, a survey of Israeli voters found that cost-of-living issues were far and away the most important concern, more than national security, religion and state, or climate change, The Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.

The annual Israeli Voice Index said that 44% of Israelis will decide whom to vote for based chiefly on their economic plans.

The second highest priority was the candidate for prime minister, with 24% claiming it to be a crucial factor in their voting decision.

Only two days into a ceasefire with Palestinian Islamic Jihad that shut down communities in the south and saw rockets threatening major cities including Tel Aviv and Ashkelon, foreign policy and security issues were ranked as most important by just 11% of those polled.

Religion and state (14%) and climate change 2%, were also much lower in the list of concerns among voters.

This order of voting considerations remained the same in both Jewish and Arab samples, as well as among respondents who identified as on the Left, Center and Right.

Regarding the ability of a government coalition to address the cost of living, respondents appeared to think it would not matter what type of government took power. Twenty-one percent said a broad unity government between Left, Center and Right factions would be best equipped for the job, while the same percentage said a Netanyahu-led government would be preferable.

The poll was conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute’s (IDI) Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy.

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