Who are Brits in Israel voting for?

British Israelis cast their ballot on Tuesday in what has once again become a referendum on one key player; Benjamin Netanyahu.

As in the previous four elections in the past four years, the political map is split in two, with exit polls predicting 60 mandates for the Netanyahu bloc and 60 for the anti-Netanyahu bloc.

Jewish News asked three Brits living in Israel who they intended to vote for and why.

Playwright and arts journalist James Inverne from the central Israeli city Modiin, says he will “desperately” vote for Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party, calling Netanyahu a leader who “seems to only be worried about his personal trials.”

“He is prepared to go to almost any lengths, and that includes allying with extremists, the kind of which I remember when I was a kid growing up in Britain, my parents would say, ‘look at Europe and look at all these extremists who are coming up’,” Inverne added.

Inverne, who grew up in Bournemouth, meanwhile praises Lapid for the gas and maritime deal with Lebanon as well as passing a state budget, something “Netanyahu refused to do.”

Life coach Jamie Gould, originally from Newcastle but now living in the central Israeli city of Ra’anana, also thought he was going to vote for Lapid, but changed his mind at the last minute.

“I ended up voting for Benny Gantz’s National Unity party. They are closer to me ideologically. I can see him teaming up with Lapid, making a strong centrist government. I hope it will end like that, rather than Likud, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir,” Gould said.

Ariel Radzinski, a UK immigration advisor from London and now living in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva, told Jewish News he will vote for Likud, but not because of Netanyahu.

“I vote Likud purely for ideological reasons. I think Israel needs good security now and its economy needs to be straightened up. And I believe Likud is the only one that can do the job, as they have done in the past,” Radzinski said.

” I’m what you call a proud Zionist, and I think Israel should take care of itself and not bow to outside parties.”

The political opinions of James, Jamie and Ariel in many ways reflect the general mood in the in the Facebook group “Brits and other Anglos living Israel talking politics,” which has nearly 1,000 members, and is a platform for intense election debates.

A majority of recent posts and comments are very critical of the far-right Religious Zionism party, in particular the controversial no.2 on its list, Itamar Ben-Gvir, known for his aggressive and hateful rhetoric against Arab Israelis and Palestinians.

Numerous posts and comments call him “dangerous” and “extreme” and “shameful” that anyone would vote for him. A number of posts and comments are also particularly critical of Netanyahu, whose corruption trial is being discussed vividly.

Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir do however also receive some support in the comment sections of those railing against them.

Meanwhile Lapid and Gantz seem to be the most popular, receiving flattering compliments about “putting their country first” — however, Gantz is also being criticised for his highly controversial decision to form a government with Netanyahu in 2020, breaking his core election promise.