Israel's Ashkenazi-Mizrahi Divide Persists in Politics, Despite Electoral Gains

Sociologist Professor Sami Smooha's analysis highlights the limited success of Israel's 'melting pot' ideal, with only 28% of inter-ethnic marriages since the state's founding. While Mizrahi (Sephardic/Eastern) Jews have seen improved living standards and increased academic enrollment, particularly in colleges, their societal standing relative to Ashkenazi (Western) elites has not proportionally improved. This disparity is starkly evident in voting patterns, where Mizrahi voters overwhelmingly favor parties like Likud, Shas, and Religious Zionism, while Ashkenazi voters lean towards parties such as Yesh Atid, Labor, and Meretz.

Despite Mizrahi representation exceeding 60% among local authority heads and a significant presence in the Likud party's top electoral lists (around 75% in the top ten and 66% in the top twenty-five), no Mizrahi leader has served as Prime Minister since the Likud's rise to power in 1977. This phenomenon is attributed to various factors, including a perceived deep loyalty among Likud voters to their leaders, leading them to consistently favor Ashkenazi candidates like Yitzhak Shamir over David Levy, and Benjamin Netanyahu over other Mizrahi contenders.

Some theories suggest a collective psychological insecurity among Mizrahi voters, preventing them from electing a leader of their own background, while others argue that only an Ashkenazi leader can effectively challenge the established Ashkenazi elite. The article poses the question of whether this trend will change after Benjamin Netanyahu's departure from the political stage, drawing a parallel to the election of Barack Obama in the United States.