Integration of women in the IDF and in political parties' lists of candidates

Hiddush Survey for International Women's Day

72% of the Israeli public believes that all political parties running for seats in the Knesset, including the ultra-Orthodox parties, should be required to include female candidates on their party candidates lists and allow women to become party members.

88% favor integrating women into the IDF [69% support the inclusion of women in every possible role, including in combat, and another 19% support their integration into all non-combat roles]. 12% oppose enlisting women into the army at all.

07/03/2018 15:12

Tags: IDF ·  women ·  International Women's Day ·  women's rights ·  gender discrimination · 

Israel is dealing with a clash between the values ​​of democracy and equality and the pressure of a rabbinic and political establishment whose values ​​are backwards and anachronistic.

Hiddush is fighting for equal status for women in Israeli society, against prejudice, exclusion and discrimination, which often stem from religious norms. Israel is dealing with a clash between the values ​​of democracy and equality and the pressure of a rabbinic and political establishment whose values ​​are backwards and anachronistic. Unfortunately, Israeli politicians and public entities all too often surrender to this unacceptable political pressure. This not only harms the status of women in Israel, but it also distorts the impression of Judaism in the eyes of much of the Jewish public in Israel because they come to perceive Judaism as an anachronism that undermines the foundations of their state.

Our activities, in cooperation with organizations and activists from across the religious and political spectra, have advanced the integration of women onto Israel's religious councils, and are now focused on: abolishing the monopoly of the rabbinic courts in the field of personal status, dealing with the growing rabbinic and political pressure against women serving in the IDF, and stopping the long-standing discrimination against women in religious politics.

This survey in honor of International Women's Day (Thursday, March 8, 2018) was commissioned by Hiddush - For Religious Freedom & Equality. It was conducted by telephone by the Smith Polling Institute among a representative sample Israel's adult Jewish population (ages 18 and over). The survey was conducted on February 28 and March 1, 2018. Sampling error: ±4.5%

A) The public's attitude towards requiring the inclusion of women on all political parties' lists of candidates in realistic positions (in local politics, as well as in national politics) and requiring all political parties to allow women to become members

Question asked:

"In advance of local and Knesset elections - What is your position regarding the demand that all parties be obligated, including the ultra-Orthodox parties, to allow women to be members of the party and to include women in realistic places on their list of candidates for the municipalities and the Knesset?"

72% of the public supports this requirement, 15% opposes it, and 13% responded that they did not have a position.

By gender
While 79% of women support this requirement, only 65% ​​of men support it. While only 8% of women oppose this, 22% of men oppose this requirement.

By degree of religiosity
18% of the ultra-Orthodox public supported this requirement, and 25% said they had no opinion! A majority of the Zionist Orthodox public [54%] also supports this requirement.

The Traditional Jewish public
There is a significant difference between the attitudes of the traditional-religious public [69% support, 17% oppose] and the traditional-"not so religious" public [84% support and only 5% oppose].

B) The public's position on the question of fully integrating women into the army and in combat roles in particular

Question asked:

"What is your position regarding the debate over the service of women in the IDF in general, and in combat units in particular? The Chief Rabbinate and other officials oppose women's service and sharply criticize joint service, particularly combat roles, claiming that it is contrary to religious Jewish law and does damage to the IDF. The IDF, women's organizations, and others perceived women's service positively, as a benefit to the army and as a promotion of gender equality."

88% expressed support for women serving along with men in the IDF! [69% indicated that they support the service of women in the IDF in all positions, including combat units, and another 19% support the service of women in the IDF, but not in combat units. 12% indicated that they oppose the service of women in the IDF.]

By degree of religiosity
Among the ultra-Orthodox public there is considerable support for women serving in the IDF, although not in combat roles [25%]. Among the Zionist Orthodox public a huge majority supports the service of women in the army [82%] in contrast to the position of the Chief Rabbinate, although 50% of the Zionist Orthodox public only supports non-combat service for women.

The Traditional Jewish public
There is a significant gap between the attitudes of the traditional-religious public [67% supports service in all roles and 27% supports non-combat service], and the traditional-"not so religious" public [84% support service in all roles, similar to the secular public (86%) and only 14% support restricting women's service to non-combat roles]

By votes in the 2015 Knesset elections
There is clear support for women's military service in all possible roles, including in combat roles, among voters for all non-Haredi coalition parties [71% - Likud; 78% - Kulanu; 62% - Jewish Home; 69% - Yisrael Beiteinu]. Among the voters for these parties, only a negligible percentage opposes women serving in the IDF [4% - Likud; 11% - Kulanu; 6% - Jewish Home; 14% - Yisrael Beiteinu]