That’s at least what a new survey suggests. Only 28 percent of respondents said they would support legislation banning the construction of minarets on Mosques built in Israel, according to the survey. Last November, almost 60 percent of voters in Switzerland approved a referendum legislating such a ban for their country.

Fourty-three percent of Jewish Israelis said they would “oppose” such legislation and 29 percent were undecided. The strongest opposition to banning minarets came from national-religious and Haredi Israelis, who opposed a minaret ban in Israel by 72 and 53 percent, respectively. According to the survey, 42 percent of secular Israelis reject and 29 percent would support a ban.

“When it comes to freedom of religion Israelis are apparently much more tolerant that their Swiss counterparts,” commented Rabbi Marc Schneier, president of the New York-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, which conducted the survey with the Israeli Kevoon research company. “The fact that less than one-third of all Israelis support banning minarets indicates that from the Israeli point of view, there is room for respectful coexistence between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs when it is based on religion and not politics.”

Respondents were also asked if the Swiss legislation changed their opinion of Switzerland. Somewhat ironically, however, more Israelis said they now viewed the country more positively than negatively (25 and 19 percent, respectively).

Of course, Islam has an entirely different place in the Holy Land than in Helvetia, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

About the author

raphael

8 Comments

  • Expect to see anti-Israel activists pointing to “Israeli bigotry and intolerance for other faiths” using the same stats.

  • One of my brothers lives in Switzerland and he has repeatedly lamented the hostility towards foreigners there, even towards foreigners from neighbouring countries.

    • Will, you won’t enjoy the food. Trust me on that one. (Unless you want to live on Toblerone only, that is.)

  • Will! How are things at Kabobfest? I appreciate your visit to Jewlicious. How’s the occupation treating you and the rest of the Kabobfesters? Hope things aren’t too harsh out there in uh… Michigan and DC. And I think SanaKF may have been right about you and Niveen Rasheed… I’m kidding. Don’t want your wife going after me (or you) with a shoe. Go Tigers!

  • What an entirely unconvincing article, KFJ. And you did not prove the point that Israel has been “dismantling Palestinian civil rights,” not by a longshot.

    Your conclusion, however, was a howler. No more Mr. Nice Guy, right KFJ? From now on, only direct intervention in Israeli affairs!

    Why don’t you begin by living there for a couple of years or serving in the military or doing national service? Then, maybe, you can consider whether you have the right to meddle directly. Yes, I know Sheldon Adelson does it, but at least he’s married to an Israeli woman who has family living in Israel and who lived there most of her life as well.