Poll: Few Israelis support stronger religion-state link

Less than a third of Israelis support major proposals for laws on religion and state put forward by parties expected to be part of Israel’s next coalition government, a Friday poll showed.

The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) surveyed 750 Israeli citizens about seven legislative proposals issued by members of the future governing coalition, led by prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu.

Five of the proposals deal with religious issues, one with the role of government legal advisors, and the other with West Bank settlements. None of the seven received more than 40 percent support, and only two got majority support from Israelis who identify as right-wing.

The five religion-related proposals are: 

1. Cancel recognition of non-Orthodox conversions for citizenship purposes

2. Permit gender segregation at publicly sponsored events

3. Cancel the Law of Return’s “grandchild clause” – which allows anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent to get Israeli citizenship

4. Increase government benefits to men studying in religious institutions

5. Cancel an already-passed reform to privatize kosher certification 

Gender segregation at state-organized events was supported by 28 percent of those asked in the IDI poll, while 52.7 percent of right-wing respondents backed it. Canceling recognition of non-Orthodox conversions was supported by 30.5 percent of Israelis; removing the “grandchildren-clause” by 29 percent, increased benefits for men in religious studies by 25 percent, and cancellation of the kosher reform by 28 percent.

Less than 40 percent backed the idea of allowing ministers to appoint their own legal advisors, and 36 percent favored allowing illegally constructed outposts in the West Bank.

Each proposal was raised by at least one of the four religious parties expected to join Netanyahu’s Likud party in the next government – United Torah Judaism, Shas, Religious Zionism, and Otzma Yehudit.