Ultra-Orthodox Political Homogeneity
Debates about the judicial coup in Israel often pivot towards discussions of ultra-Orthodox society, particularly as ultra-Orthodox politicians have aided Netanyahu in his judicial coup attempt, resulting in the community attracting significant anger and resentment. Confronted with those expressing fear at the growing demographic power, some will argue that trends of modernization are also present within the community. They say it's essential to remember that not everyone is the same. The younger generation, for instance, may end up diverging from their parents' generation in significant ways. And of course, you'll always find someone who will mutter the ultimate nonsensical point: Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox are stuck with seven Knesset seats, implying a decline among the youth despite the high birth rate.
However, I take issue with this argument. In political terms, the ultra-Orthodox community is entirely monolithic to an astonishing degree. Examining election results in Modi'in Illit, a wholly ultra-Orthodox city, is quite revealing. The number of valid votes totaled 26,655, with a voter turnout of 82% (one of the highest rates in the country). The top five lists were as follows:
United Torah Judaism, 20,622 votes
Shas, 5,277 votes
Religious Zionism, 514 votes
Likud, 127 votes
The Burning Youngers, 14 votes
What's truly astounding is the fifth place. In a city with over 26,000 voters, only 14 votes were needed to secure this position! This outcome showcases an extreme, almost surreal political monolith without any notable diversity or hidden undercurrents that might only surface in the secrecy of the voting booth. Comparing this with several other cities that have a similar number of valid votes further illustrates the point:
Afula (28,000 valid votes) - 5th place: Yisrael Beiteinu (2,239 votes)
Rahat (23,000 valid votes) - 5th place: Likud (367 votes) [In Rahat, a Bedouin city in the south, Likud received three times more votes despite having fewer voters than in Modi'in Illit!]
Eilat (22,000 valid votes) - 5th place: Shas (1,488 votes)
Or Yehuda (20,000 valid votes) - 5th place: Benny Gantz (1,535 votes)
Nazareth (28,000 valid votes) - 5th place: Meretz (470 votes) [United Torah Judaism got 14 votes in Nazareth but ranked 16th among the parties, not 5th]
Tiberias (23,000 valid votes) - 5th place: Yesh Atid (1,332 votes)
Kiryat Gat (31,000 valid votes) - 5th place: Yesh Atid (2,541 votes)
The stark contrast in these examples makes it hard to deny the extreme political monolith present in the ultra-Orthodox community.