A split in Israeli society? A particularly disturbing survey conducted by Gesher reveals that about half of the Jewish public in Israel believes that a scenario for splitting Israeli society into two different autonomies is possible and liable to occur. The survey, conducted by the Panels Politics research institute among the Jewish public, deals with issues of religion and state, and examined a series of issues in the relationship between secular, religious, and ultra-Orthodox Jews after the protests against the legal reform.
Overall, 46% of respondents thought there was a reasonable chance or certainty that Israeli society was facing a split, compared to 44% who thought it had little chance or that it would not happen. Ten percent said they did not know. The secular are the most pessimistic group – 53% of the secular respondents responded that there is a reasonable chance of this, ten percent of them who said that it will happen with certainty. In contrast, about a third of the religious and ultra-Orthodox responded that such a scenario would not happen.
The ultra-Orthodox are more optimistic, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The data show that while some Israelis believe that the discourse about the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah are hypothetical discussions or detached fantasies, others believe that it is a real and real possibility.
Not in the next 50 years
However, when asked when an ultra-Orthodox ruling party is expected to lead the State of Israel, most said that this is a scenario that will not occur in the coming decades. 43% responded that they do not see such a scenario in the next 50 years, compared to 15% who responded that they see such a scenario in 20 years or more, and ten percent who responded that such a scenario will occur in 10 to 20 years from now.
The main cause of the social crisis is, of course, legal reform, according to 31% of those surveyed, and 15% responded that the reason is the intoxication of power of the coalition parties. 17% responded that the judicial system was overly dominant, 12% said that the reason was the loss of values in politics, 9% responded that the crisis was created as a result of the loss of the Jewish character of the state, and six percent answered that the reason for the crisis was the struggle against its anxiety.
"Over the years, we have gone through periods of damage to the social fabric in Israel, but we can never remember a time when we saw a clear and tangible danger to the future of shared life in Israeli society," says Ilan Gal Dor, CEO of Gesher. "We must all gird our hips and act, each in his own field, in order to save and preserve the model of life. We must work to mend the rifts and bridge the gaps in order to restore the brotherhood and partnership that so characterizes the people of Israel. There is great responsibility for this, including for the country's leadership, which according to the survey clearly shows that the public sees them as responsible for the situation."
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