Thursday, January 6, 2011

A joint Ynet-Gesher poll reveals that some 78% of Jewish Israelis think migrants and refugees endanger the Jewish character of the State of Israel

Some 57% of respondents said the influx of immigrants and foreign workers greatly endangers the Jewish nature of the State of Israel, while approximately 21% thought the danger was only moderate. Only 19% said the situation only slightly undermined the Jewish character of the state, or did not endanger it at all. Among the ultra-Orthodox, religious and traditional respondents, a vast majority believed that the State's Jewish character was jeopardized (93%, 85% and 71% respectively), while some 43% of secular people responded similarly. When asked what they would think if a mosque or a church was to be built next to their place of residence, some 43% respondents said they would firmly oppose it. "Absolutely not, this is the Jewish state and it is forbidden to build such places," replied 80% of haredim, 69% of the religious, 52% of traditionalists and 31% of secular respondents. In contrast, 30% said they would agree unwillingly and ask for the structure to be modest, and 27% said it was a right that should be granted to all worshipers – regardless of their faith (36% of secular people, 17% of traditionalists, 4% of the religious and 10% of haredim held this view).

No comments: