Israel is preparing for its first legislative election in four years, a pivotal contest that will determine the political future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The October 27 vote arrives during a period of deep national polarization, following the October 7, 2023 attacks. This election cycle has seen a surge in new participants, with the Israeli Central Elections Committee reporting that more than half a million voters have been added to the rolls since 2022. But what does the future they hope for look like. Which has already been shifting to the right for years, that’s significantly higher than the rest of the Israeli population.
These first-time voters, aged between 18 and 22, are highly motivated; polling data suggests that approximately 80 percent intend to cast a ballot. While youth in many other nations are trending toward leftist platforms, young Jewish adults in Israel are demonstrating a marked shift in the opposite direction. Data from a recent Israel’s Channel 12 poll indicates that nearly three-quarters of Jewish first-time voters define themselves as “right or centre-right.”
This demographic trend has led to the emergence of the label “Generation Right,” a term that specifically references the Jewish youth rather than the country’s Palestinian citizenry. An Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) survey notes that despite limited prior political activism, a majority of these young voters believe their participation can effectively influence the nation’s path.
Critics, including those opposed to Netanyahu’s long tenure, argue that the Prime Minister’s strategy of incorporating hardline figures into his government has helped push extremist views into the mainstream. Key cabinet members such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich are central to these concerns. Smotrich, who holds a role in the defence ministry, has previously advocated for policies that would leave Palestinians without political representation or force them to emigrate. In 2017, Smotrich laid out his position for the future of Israel where the Israelis are the only ones who will have self-determination, whereas Palestinians will have to emigrate, stay without political representation, or be treated as “terrorists” if they refuse either of the two options. Indeed, this incitement and view of Palestinians has become more prevalent. He was given a central position in the 2022 government of Netanyahu, although Ben-Gvir did not pass the threshold of the 2020 elections.
Extremist rhetoric appears to be gaining traction among the youth.
Satirist Lior Schleien, who documents political attitudes in schools and town halls, has captured footage of students expressing violent sentiments toward Arabs. In one instance, a student admitted to long-held racist views when questioned about the impact of the October 7 attacks. While some young Israelis, like 18-year-old Gili, express a belief that the potential for peace has been abandoned due to trauma, others are actively organizing for more hardline positions. Schleien, a left-wing activist, has been visiting schools and speaking with young people often before their army service. In the video, Schleien asks the student how he proposes to kill Arabs. Schleien asks whether October 7 changed his views. “I’ve always been racist,” the young man answers, adding that Arabs shouldn’t be allowed to live in the state of Israel. When asked if Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza, Schleien denies it, only for a female student to ask, “Do you think it should be done?”. At a recent meeting of young supporters of the left-leaning Democrats party in Tel Aviv, 18-year-old Gili told the AFP news agency that she believed Israeli society had abandoned the idea of peace. Shielding his identity, Schleien removed the video after a public backlash, even though the young man’s face is slightly covered. But the student assures him that she is asking a serious question, schleien looks unimpressed. According to she, The scars of October 7 instilled fear among people, making it hard for them to believe peace could ever be achievable. He often visits Israeli jails and detention centres to threaten Palestinian prisoners as well as international activists – all the while making sure that it is caught on camera, as a minister.
For example, 18-year-old activist Amihai, who attended an event advocating for illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, openly supports the Otzma Yehudit party. In 2022 he secured a portfolio in the defence ministry where he facilitates land grabs and empowers the illegal settlement enterprise in the occupied West Bank.
Led by Ben-Gvir, the party has seen a surge of interest among first-time voters.
Ben-Gvir, who resides in an illegal settlement, has adeptly utilized social media to engage with younger audiences.
Despite a history of criminal convictions related to supporting extremist organizations, his direct and combative communication style—often featuring viral videos of himself challenging Palestinian prisoners—resonates with a segment of the youth. Critics of the longest-serving PM in Israel’s history accuse him of supporting “far-right” politicians to stay in power.
These digital platforms, including WhatsApp and Telegram, serve as the primary news sources for many young Israelis. The IDI reports that these feeds frequently deliver political content to users without them needing to actively search for it, allowing figures like Ben-Gvir to disseminate his “I am not mincing my words” platform effectively. Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli newspaper, recently projected that more than 16 percent of new voters plan to support far-right parties.
This political shift is not entirely a new phenomenon, as many observers note that Israeli society has been trending toward the right for years. However, the current climate has solidified these attitudes, making the upcoming legislative election a decisive moment for both the country’s social fabric and its future security policies.
