Israeli Voters Unmoved by International Sanctions Ahead of Elections

New sanctions imposed by countries including the United Kingdom, France, and Canada on Israel's settlements in the occupied West Bank have highlighted the country's international isolation. However, analysts indicate that these sanctions are unlikely to influence Israeli voters ahead of the elections scheduled for October. Israeli politicians have reacted with anger to the sanctions, with Gideon Saar, a member of the Israeli government, accusing UK Foreign Minister Ed Miliband of spreading 'outrageous lies' and attempting to interfere in Israel's democratic process. Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the sanctions as a 'gross interference' in the elections. Despite this, a poll conducted in August indicated that a majority of Jewish Israelis support retaining the settlements as part of any future agreement regarding a Palestinian state, with nearly 40 percent favoring the annexation of the territory, which is in violation of international law. Ori Goldberg, an Israeli political analyst, noted that many Israelis are not concerned about the legality of the settlements. Analysts suggest that issues like security are more likely to determine voter preferences than sanctions related to settlements. Michael Koplow, chief policy officer at the Israeli Policy Forum, stated that public support for political blocs is firm, and the sanctions are not expected to sway voters. Sociologist Yehouda Shenhav-Shahrabani pointed out that the normalization of settlements and the perception of foreign pressure as anti-Semitic narratives may further insulate the Israeli electorate from the impact of sanctions. Prominent politicians have not criticized the government's stance on settlements, with Yair Lapid, a former prime minister, denouncing the sanctions instead. Dahlia Scheindlin, a pollster in Tel Aviv, remarked that the sanctions have not significantly affected Netanyahu's polling, as public opinion appears to be filtered through existing sentiments about him.