Rabbi Marc Schneier
A plurality of Israelis would oppose legislation to ban the construction of minarets on mosques in Israel, according to a survey conducted by an American organization dedicated to promoting racial
harmony and strengthening inter-group relations.
The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU), based in New York City, found that 43 per cent of Israelis rejected a ban, while 28 per cent backed one. Twenty nine per cent of respondents were
undecided.
The telephone survey was carried out recently by Keevoon Research, and 500 Jewish Israelis were interviewed.
The survey was commissioned on the heels of a referendum in Switzerland in which 57.5 per cent of voters supported a proposal to ban the building of new minarets in the country.
At present, there are four minarets in Switzerland, serving a community of 400,000 Muslims.
The proposal, opposed by the Swiss government, was put forward by the right-wing Swiss People's party (SVP), the largest party in parliament. The SVP claims that minarets are a sign of
Islamization and Islamic power.
Last November's referendum took place at a time when European nations are engaged in a debate on how best to integrate Muslim citizens and address such issues as Islamic head scarves.
By some estimates, Europe is home to 10 to 15 million Muslims.
Rabbi Marc Schneier, president of FFEU, was gratified by the results of the survey.
?When it comes to freedom of religion, Israelis are apparently much more tolerant than their Swiss counterparts,? he said in an interview last week. ?Israelis understand that all religious
symbols deserve our respect and tolerance.?
The survey also found that the strongest resistance to banning minarets came from Israelis in the national religious camp, who politically are the most right-wing in Israel.
Seventy two per cent of such Israelis expressed opposition to the ban, compared to 42 per cent of secular Israelis and 36 per cent of ?traditional' Israelis.
?The poll shows a definite correlation between religious observance and tolerance toward Islam,? said Rabbi Schneier, a past president of the North American Board of Rabbis and chair of the
American section of the World Jewish Congress.
He added: ?Israelis seem to put politics aside, and opposition to banning minarets actually increases as we move further to the right on the political spectrum. The fact that less than one-third
of Israelis support banning minarets indicates that from the Israeli point of view, there is room for respectful coexistence between Jews and Israeli Arabs when it is based on religion and not
politics.?
According to the survey, Likud voters voiced the strongest support for banning minarets. The figure was 41 per cent, followed by voters from Yisrael Beitenu (36 per cent), Kadima (31 per cent),
Labor (27 per cent), United Torah Judaism (22 per cent), Shas (20 per cent) and the National Union (eight per cent).
Judging by the survey, 34 per cent of Israeli men supported a ban, versus 22 per cent of women.
Israelis aged 45 to 54 were more likely to support a ban than Israelis aged 18 to 24.
The pollsters also asked Israelis if the Swiss referendum changed their perception of Switzerland. Thirty seven per cent answered no, 25 per cent viewed Switzerland more positively, and 19 per
cent had a more negative view of the country.
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