Why young Israeli voters are shifting to the right | DW News

First-Time Young Voters in Israel

More than 640,000 Israelis aged 18–22 are eligible to vote for the first time. In an election described as a close race, young voters could influence the balance of roughly 10–12 parliamentary seats.

A Channel 12 poll cited in the report found that 74% of young Jewish Israelis identify as right-wing or center-right, compared with 23% who identify as center-left or left. The divide largely concerns the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: right-wing voters tend to emphasize control and security, while left-wing voters are more likely to support dividing the land and reaching a peace agreement.

Two Perspectives

The report contrasts the views of two young voters:

• Ami, an 18-year-old who lives near Gaza and is soon to begin military service, supports Itamar Ben-Gvir’s far-right party. He argues that the events of October 7 make a stronger right-wing approach necessary and supports Jewish settlement in Gaza.
• A 19-year-old soldier who is considering the center-left Democrats says he supports a Palestinian state alongside Israel. He also wants politicians to take responsibility for the failures surrounding October 7.

Factors Shaping Young Voters

Tammy Hoffman of the Israel Democracy Institute says young Israelis are highly motivated to vote, despite widespread distrust of politicians. She describes their political divisions as reflecting broader Israeli society, reinforced by an education system divided along religious, linguistic, and national lines.

Hoffman says the war and military service may push young people toward a harder, security-focused outlook. They may also prompt questions about the war’s purpose and the future it will bring. Not all young people serve: Arab and ultra-Orthodox Israelis are among those legally exempt, and may experience events from different perspectives.

She links the younger generation’s rightward lean to a broader shift in Israeli society over the past two decades, heightened security fears, and the limited emphasis on peace and democracy in the education system.

The report also notes that Ben-Gvir’s calls for Israeli control of Gaza and the “voluntary immigration” of Palestinians have been condemned by human-rights groups and the UN as forced displacement and ethnic cleansing.

Presenters and Contributors

• Tanya Kramer — Reporter
• Tammy Hoffman — Israel Democracy Institute
• Ami — 18-year-old voter; surname unclear in the subtitles
• 19-year-old soldier — Name unclear in the subtitles