Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Election corruption in Israel is limited to disputes in each election about whether false bal-
lots were cast in one or two precincts. The main problem is campaign contributions that break
regulations strictly limiting fund-raising. High-ranking offi cials of different parties have been
prosecuted, sometimes successfully, over violations, which sometimes involve illegal foreign
contributions.
It should be stressed, though, that the level of spending does not make a big difference, nor
does clever advertising sway many votes, since there are clear reasons for voters to choose the
party they support. A key calculation is whether to back a smaller party that more closely cor-
responds to one's views or a larger party that could form the government and thus have greater
power to implement change that voters want. Roughly half the voters choose according to one
or the other of these options.
In 1988 an unusual scandal erupted when Shas “bought” votes by promising to give reli-
gious benefi ts. After that, it became illegal for parties to “buy” votes with blessings or amulets
(or to withhold them or to curse those who voted for a different party), just as it is illegal to
buy votes with money or political favors. Nonetheless, a certain amount of buying continues
on a small scale among religious constituencies.
On election day, the voter steps into a curtained booth and chooses from a tray of small
slips of paper on a shelf, each carrying the name of a party and its symbol. The Labor Party, for
example, is represented by the letters that spell out the Hebrew word for “truth”; Kadima, by
the letters that spell out “yes.” New parties can choose their letters, but traditionally the fi fth
letter of the Hebrew alphabet is not used, because it is also the symbol for God's name.
MAJOR POLITICAL ISSUES
Politics in Israel tend to revolve around a few major questions. Since 1967 the main focus has
been on a cluster of security issues: the fate of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan
Heights; the potential for peace with the country's Arab neighbors and the Palestinians; and
the degree of civilians' safety from terrorist and military attacks. Political parties, as well as
members of the electorate, generally identify as right, left, or center based on their views. The
left end of the spectrum places a higher premium on negotiations and concessions in the belief
that these could achieve peace; and the right end, on skepticism, security, and — though more
so before 2000 than afterward — retention of territories captured in 1967.
In addition to matters of peace and security, religion is a major political (as well as social
and cultural) factor in Israel. Of the religiously identifi ed sectors, however, the Dati Party
(National Religious Party) has focused increasingly on security issues, while the Sephardic and
Mizrahi Haredi party (Shas) emphasize constituency services.
The National Religious Party's failure to make its voters' needs its priority was a cause of
its downfall. Since Shas has put the emphasis on obtaining and spending funds, its critics
have complained about the amount of money it has received and about corruption. With
United Torah Judaism and the Ashkenazic Haredi party, the controversies revolve around
whether secular voters perceive them as trying to expand religious observance in society at
large.
 
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