Undecided Voters Announce they Will Not Run for Knesset

All the parties and their lists have now been registered with the Israeli election commission. Now the race begins. Israeli voters can assess which are the parties, who are the people, and what are the platforms that best suit them leading up to the October 27 national election.

Small newer political parties that only recently emerged have merged with larger more established parties in a bid to strengthen one another and not be left out in the cold with any one party not receiving enough votes to pass the 3.25% threshold to enter the Knesset. This will minimize the “wasted votes” going to parties that fall under that minimum and thus get no seats in the next Knesset. Others have stuck it out, believing that their leaders and something unique in their message will appeal to voters, that they will be elected, making a difference if not becoming the king maker.

Numerous long-time politicians will not seek office this time, stepping down – or being sidestepped – in favor of new blood, or just not wanting to be part of the bloodbath of an election campaign or, worse, an inconclusive result that causes Israelis to have to go back to the polls in the spring. For some, the mere announcement of their not running has become headline worthy.

A group of undecided voters who have participated in a monthly webinar about their views and perspectives leading up to the vote as part of the “Inspiration from Zion” podcast have made bold announcements of their own about the upcoming election. While they each remain undecided, they have elected not to throw their own hats into the ring either as part of an existing party, or as a new party – The Undecideds. The news is that while they don’t know who they will vote for, they will not enter the race themselves.

Arnie Draiman is a Jerusalem-based philanthropy consultant helping donors make strategic, effective, and accountable charitable investments focusing on transparency and measurable impact. “I’m not looking for a political career for its own sake. I would consider running for Knesset only if I believed I could bring people together, focus on practical solutions, and make a meaningful contribution to Israel and its citizens. At the heart of it is tzedakah—the responsibility to use whatever position or influence we have to do what is right and serve others. The candidate I support is someone with integrity and experience who puts the country ahead of party politics, listens to different perspectives, and is committed to serving the public and getting things done.”

Batya Medad has worked in sales, advertising, teaching and writing, and always looking at the bottom line, reading the fine print. She sounded a more pragmatic note, “I wouldn’t run for a Knesset seat because even if elected, I’d be more restricted than Iam now. Party discipline. Now I can blog and say what I think. I was always a non-conformist.”

As one of two journalists on the panel, serving as editor of the “Jerusalem Post Magazine” and its supplement, “In Jerusalem,” Erica Schachne threw up her hands about the whole political culture, “I’m not running because it seems impossible to get anything meaningful done without turning into a Machiavellian operative your mother would be ashamed of. The cynicism and convoluted system lead even the most idealistic public servant to conclude they can do more good elsewhere. Post-October 7, our so-called leaders have not learned the lessons that are obvious to the rest of us.”

Rolene Marks is the other journalist in the group. She is co-founder of “Lay of the Land,” host of the “Israel Brief” and World WIZO executive member and Head of Public Diplomacy. Her rationale was simple: “I am not running for the Knesset because I am simply not a political animal – unless of course, I am covering the political scene for my career.”

Mark Simanowitz takes a more scientific approach. He is a PhD candidate and researcher interested in metabolic engineering and genetic regulation in plants, and a community organizer and involved in politics in Jerusalem.  “I am not running for Knesset due to the high personal cost that a life in public office would demand. I have a career and life that I love and I feel that working within political parties and the community is enough for me at the moment.”

Yehudah Poch studied political science and international relations and currently works in the communications department at the Bank of Israel. He noted simply and pragmatically, “I am not running for Knesset because the only way to actually get into the Knesset is to pay massive political dues that are generally not worth the effort.”

Albeit that all are undecided, and in past conversations have expressed dislike for many of the current line up of politicians, in his or her own way each has acknowledged that it is not an easy job, can be taxing to be elected and then to serve, and that politics is not for them. It begs the question that even among the most distasteful candidates – by whatever measure that is made – at least there’s a degree of respect, or recognition for the hard work it does take, or the toll it could take personally.

Unsurprisingly, there are no undecided candidates. And maybe there’s no news in six undecided Israeli voters not running for Knesset. But there is news in what the undecided voters are thinking and now that all the parties’ respective lists of candidates have been submitted, what will motivate them and hundreds of thousands of others in deciding who to vote for.

What do you think? Join the next episode of “What Are We Thinking” as part of the “Inspiration from Zion” podcast, Wednesday September 16, at 8:00pm Israel time, 1:00pm Easten (US). Advance registration is required here.