Among the 6,788,804 who have the right to vote in the upcoming Israeli elections, there are also tens of thousands of new immigrants/refugees from Russia and Ukraine who arrived in Israel since the war broke out.
Based on the latest data, over 45 thousand new immigrants who fled the war have come to Israel with around two-thirds of them becoming citizens and eligible to vote using their Jewish heritage in accordance with the “Law of Return”. Most of them came from Russia after they were fed up with Putin's rule. On September 8th, the voter registry was closed and all immigrants who received Israeli ID and status in Israel by that date are eligible to vote.
It is estimated that there are about 30,000 eligible voters. Hypothetically, the new immigrants who make up close to a full mandate could play a significant role in the elections.
Naturally, these immigrants have been busy settling into the Jewish state on a personal level and are largely less concerned with politics just yet. Nevertheless, there are those who could really use the extra mandate and are doing all they can to get the new Israelis to exercise their rights as citizens.
Israel has taken in almost 50,000 immigrants from Russia and Ukraine since their countries went to war; Putin’s recent conscription order is spurring more applications; the Russian leader is not interfering with Jewish emigration- @Pnina_Tamano_Sh to @USegal @Da_Sides @TLV102FM
— Dan Williams (@DanWilliams) October 21, 2022
Yisrael Beiteinu and Yesh Atid are among the parties who are trying desperately to appeal to the largely Russian-speaking population. For example, Yisrael Beiteinu created a site in Russian where there is a guide on how to vote in the elections and how the elections are held in Israel, naturally using the service offered to boast about their party.
Additionally, about three weeks ago, Finance Minister and party chairman Avigdor Lieberman, together with the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption, approved an aid program for immigrants costing 90 million NIS. Lieberman said at the time: "Immigration is a strategic asset for the State of Israel and the biggest engine of growth that has been here since the establishment of the state."
Meanwhile, Yesh Atid’s party member and sitting MK, Vladimir Belyak, has become a regular guest on “Channel 9”, the Russian-language Israeli television channel. Party chairman and Prime Minister Yair Lapid have been meeting immigrants since the very first arrivals, even before the heavy campaigning in Israel began.
Israel has taken in almost 50,000 immigrants from Russia and Ukraine since their countries went to war; Putin’s recent conscription order is spurring more applications; the Russian leader is not interfering with Jewish emigration- @Pnina_Tamano_Sh to @USegal @Da_Sides @TLV102FM
— Dan Williams (@DanWilliams) October 21, 2022
Yair Smolyanov, the manager of immigration absorption at the "One Million Lobby" association, which helps Russian-speaking Israelis with various social-economic issues said: "There is almost an entire mandate of potential voters here that the state does not encourage to exercise their democratic right. The State of Israel does not provide enough Hebrew teaching classes, and the information is not made accessible in the Russian language, thus effectively preventing the new immigrants from exercising their right to vote."
Smolyanov, who talks daily with new immigrants, says that "they are less interested in whether it will be the Ben Gvir government or the Ahmed Tibi government, but more interested in who will give them the opportunity to start their lives in Israel, guarantee their economic status and grant recognition for their education. In order to talk to Those immigrants, they should be interested in their situation, offer solutions and, of course, know Russian. Unfortunately, this combination almost does not exist today among the parties."
