'80% of Israelis dissatisfied with state, religious policy'

Poll finds 61% of non-haredi citizens support establishment of Likud-Kadima government without Shas, United Torah Judaism.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
young haredis studying 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
young haredis studying 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Eighty percent of the Israeli public is dissatisfied with the the government's policies on religion and state, according to a recent survey published Wednesday by the Smith Institute for the Hiddush foundation For Freedom of Religion and Equality.
Among the secular public, 86% expressed discontent.  Highlighting the divide in views on religious and state policy, 61% of non-haredi citizens supported the establishment of a Likud-Kadima government without Shas and United Torah Judaism. Eighteen percent of those polled did not have an opinion.
RELATED:US State Dept. says Israel violates religious freedom Analysis: Errors in US report on Israel's religious freedom
Seventy-seven percent of olim polled disapproved of government policy on religion and state, even with the participation of Israel Beiteinu. Seventy percent of olim supported the establishment of a civilian government which would include Likud and Kadima without Shas and United Torah Judaism, while 97% of haredim opposed a government of this composition.
Among the haredi population, 91% of those polled said they were dissatisfied with religious and state policy and within the religious sector, 64% expressed discontent.
A representative number of 500 people were polled on Sunday and Monday.
"The data represents the fact that the Israeli public is fed-up with policy being set by the haredi political parties and feels that their future and rights are being given up to the religious groups," said director-general of Hiddush, attorney and Rabbi Uri Regev.
"The public wants a leading government, not a submissive government. The public desires a government which will finally implement the promise of the Declaration of Independence relating to freedom of religion and conscience. The public wants a government that will not pass yeshiva stipends and will take away the monopolistic control over marrage and divorce by the ever-more-haredi Rabbinate," said Regev.
Regev called on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Tzipi Livni "to answer the calls of the public and establish a civilian government that will courageously implement the desired reforms."