Title: Deep Disagreement Among Public Revealed Ahead of High Court Hearing in Israel
Date: [Insert Date]
A few hours before the High Court hearing regarding the reason for reasonableness, a special poll by 103fm published today (Tuesday) reveals the deep disagreement among the people regarding the growing tensions between the authorities in the country.
The historic discussion at the High Court of Justice has become the center of attention as decision, rejection, or constitutional crisis loom. The public is anxiously awaiting the court’s ruling, with concerns of potential regime change in Israel.
The survey, conducted by “Lazar Researches” led by Dr. Menachem Lazar, raises some interesting observations regarding the public’s opinion on the matter. The majority of respondents, 63 percent, believe that the government should obey the ruling of the High Court of Justice – even if it chooses to invalidate the legislation on the reduction of the cause of reasonableness.
Among all those who voiced an opinion, 37 percent believe that there is no obligation to obey the court’s ruling. However, when specifically looking at Likud voters in the last elections, there is a split almost equal in size. 35 percent believe that the court’s decision should be respected, while 38 percent think not. Surprisingly, more than a quarter of the ruling party’s voters, 27 percent, were unsure how to respond.
Another important aspect of the survey focused on who the army, police, and Shin Bet should obey in the event of a constitutional crisis – the government or the Supreme Court. Among Likud voters, 20 percent feel that the ruling party should withdraw from its initiated legislation in case of confrontation with the High Court. However, 58 percent believe that the security organizations should obey the government in such a scenario.
For all respondents, the results are more balanced. 39 percent feel that the security forces should obey the government, while 40 percent believe they should obey the Supreme Court.
Looking deeper into party preference, 51 percent of Likud voters in the last elections support unilateral steps in legal legislation compared to 22 percent who oppose it. Among all respondents, 45 percent oppose such measures, while 33 percent support them.
The 103fm survey, conducted by ‘Lazar Research’ and headed by Dr. Menachem Lazar, involved 514 members of the Panel4All panel of respondents who participated in the research conducted on the internet. The survey was conducted on September 10-11 and included a representative sample of the adult population in the State of Israel, including Jews and Arabs. The maximum sampling error is 4.3 percent.
As the High Court hearing commences, these poll results shed light on the deep polarization within the public’s sentiment towards the authorities in the country. The outcome of the hearing will undoubtedly have significant implications for the future of Israel’s legal system and governance.
Assisting in the preparation of this article: Amitai Doak, 103fm.