A Weighted Voting System for the Haredim and Members of the Diaspora?

Yair Lapid, Leader of the Opposition, has recently said that the Haredim should not be allowed to vote.

Eighteen year old Haredi males and females do not serve in the Israeli army; they benefit from state subsidies for housing, child care, education and other expenditure; yet they have come to take it for granted that the state supports them so that they can study – though not the national curriculum.

True it has been, and true it is that the Haredim bear the weight of the bringing down the years the sacred texts of Judaism.

True it has been, is and will be that these texts attest to the history, morals and laws of the world’s Jews; and, as the Editor in Chief of this news website has stated recently, not allowing the Haredim the vote would not be democratic.

The questions must be asked, though,
Have the Haredim brought the Judaic texts to life – to the 87% of the population in Israel who are non-Haredi? Was it the Haredim who spread the Word of God prior to the emergence of the Haredi movement in Europe in the 19th century?

Is it democratic to have non-Haredim fight for your very existence whilst you sit and learn the sacred texts?

The Jewish Diaspora has existed for many years, yet, despite the fact that what happens to Jews in one part of the world has a domino effect for Jews in others; despite the fact that the wars between Jews and Arabs, such as those with the Iranian proxies, have immediate effects on Jews around the world, members of the Diaspora are not eligible to vote in Israel’s general elections.

There are some 10 million Jews in the world most of whom are in the USA, and some in Europe and elsewhere.

Shouldn’t these Jews be allowed to have their say in what happens to them as a result of endless conflict between Jews in Israel and their Arab neighbours?

Is it not undemocratic to shut the door and keep them out?

The influence that some Jews have via the World Zionist Organisation is not, in any way ignored, but it cannot in any way be termed democratic. It is though, claimed herein that the Diaspora Jews should have a direct say – not in all matters, but those policies which affect them.

Alternatively, both in the case of the Haredim and Diaspora, the votes of Israeli voters should bear most weight, with the votes of the Ultra-Orthodox and Worldwide Jews being given lesser import.

If the reader believes that all three are not knowledgeable enough in some, if not all, areas, pre-election questionnaires could be set to make sure that all voters are “literate”.

Additionally, voters could be asked which policies they would like to vote in.

The foregoing, it is hoped, should be seen as mere suggestions, to be put to those who are knowledgeable and those who are not for consideration.