Israel’s election and the Jewish world
While only Israelis will cast their votes on October 27, the repercussions of that choice will reach Jews across the globe
As Israel approaches one of the most consequential elections in its history, the political campaign and public debate have centred almost exclusively on questions of national security and domestic affairs.
Yet one critical dimension has been largely absent: the election’s implications for the millions of Jews living around the world, whose lives will inevitably be affected by its outcome.
Since October 2023, rising antisemitism has revealed that decisions made in Jerusalem reverberate through Jewish communities worldwide, reshaping their security, identity and place in civic life. For Australian Jewry, the consequences have been particularly stark, with one of the sharpest increases in antisemitic incidents culminating in the Bondi massacre, the deadliest antisemitic attack outside of Israel in the 21st century.
This is not to suggest that Israel should make its national security strategy according to demonstrations abroad or activism on university campuses. A country’s foremost obligation is to protect its own citizens.
This is the first Israeli election to take place in the aftermath of October 7. It comes at a moment when the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora has been fundamentally transformed.
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