Rabin memorial. 'Alienation threatens our social and national strength'
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
'Polarization growing since Rabin murder'
Survey shows only 26% of Israel's religious Jews identify with memorial for slain prime minister
Israel
's religious public is distancing itself from the memorial for slain Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
: A survey conducted ahead of the tragic incident's 16th anniversary
shows that only 26% of religious Jews identify with this day.
Among religious Jews, only 26% feel very affiliated with the memorial, while 39% reported feeling slightly affiliated.
The poll was commissioned by the Tzav Pius organization, which works to promote mutual understanding among Israeli Jews, through the Zeta Tools research institute. It reveals that 65% of seculars and 61% of traditional Jews identify with the Rabin memorial.
Public Opinion
Sixteen years after former prime minister's assassination, over a third of Israelis believe lesson has not been learned; fear history might repeat itself
About 50% of the public see a radicalization in religious-secular relations since the murder. Forty-two percent believe the relations have remained unchanged, while 8% say the two sectors have gotten closer.
The feeling of polarization is more noticeable among the secular and traditional public than among the religious and haredi public. Sixty percent of secular Jews see a radicalization, compared to only 32% of religious Jews. About half of skullcap wearers believe relations have remained unchanged.
Aliza Gershon Director Aliza Gershon said in response to the findings, "The survey supports our working assumption that the polarization in the Israeli society has been growing since Prime Minister Rabin's murder. This trend leads to alienation between different groups in our society and threatens our social and national strength.
"We seek to lead a move which will turn the national day of mourning over an Israeli prime minister's murder into an event connecting the different sectors and strengthening the ethos shared by the entire society."
The memorial rally marking the 16th anniversary of Rabin's murder will be held this Saturday evening at 7:30 pm at Tel Aviv's Rabin Square, after being postponed from last Saturday due to the rainy weather.
Reuven Weiss and Itamar Eichner contributed to this report
- Follow Ynetnews on Facebook
