"I Feel Responsible For The Way The Country Is Developing."
- 29.10.2026, 11:47
Belarusians shared their thoughts on the elections in Israel.
Vote counting in Israel’s parliamentary elections is still underway. With 77% of the ballots counted, Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc is in the lead, but neither it nor the opposition has yet secured a majority large enough to form a government on its own.
The election saw a record voter turnout of 77.7% of eligible voters. This is the highest figure since 1999.
Deutsche Welle spoke with Belarusians living in Israel.
“I didn’t sleep all night before the election”
Producer Gennady Shulman has been living with his family in Rishon LeZion, 75 km from the Gaza Strip, for about four years. For him, this is his first election in Israel. Shulman notes that he was somewhat surprised by the absence at the polling stations of the festive atmosphere familiar to many Belarusians. “There’s no dancing, no celebrations, no flags, no buffets with delicacies here. Everything is businesslike and simple,” says Shulman.
He admits that the last time he voted in an election in Belarus was in 1994, so now he felt a certain sense of anxiety and responsibility. “I didn’t sleep all night—I was worried and thinking. I read analyses and some articles, and artificial intelligence would throw up some information,” he explains.
According to him, he considered two candidates—incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces Gadi Eizenkot. Although he considers Netanyahu a strong and experienced leader capable of effectively governing the country amid constant threats, Shulman cast his vote for Eizenkot.
Two factors influenced his decision: the absence of a state commission to investigate the events of October 7, and the conviction that even the most popular politician must eventually make way for new leaders. “I voted for Eizenkot. My position is center-right. I am against extremism in all its forms, but I am in favor of a strong state that can and must stand up for itself,” says Shulman.
In Israel, people aren’t afraid to discuss politics
“Having had a bitter experience in Belarus, we know that it’s absolutely essential to vote and express our political views,” — says English teacher Natalia (name changed—Ed.). She moved to Israel in 2022 but is voting in the parliamentary elections for the first time.
She was particularly struck by the atmosphere surrounding the election campaign: from early in the morning on Election Day, party representatives were actively calling and texting voters, while campaigning and handing out flyers near the polling stations.
But she says the main difference from Belarus is that in Israel, people aren’t afraid to discuss politics: “Whether you’re for Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu. — Ed.) or against Bibi—you can talk about it openly, and nothing will happen to you for it.” According to Natalia, political debates these days take place literally everywhere: on the streets, in stores.
Based on her observations, many older people are convinced that one must vote only for Netanyahu. Natalia herself voted for Naftali Bennett, while her husband voted for Gadi Eizenkot.
At the same time, she emphasizes that most politicians agree on key issues. The election platforms were dominated by issues of security, the need to investigate the events of October 7, 2023, and relations with Palestine. “It’s very rare for anyone to talk, for example, about the economy or education,” she notes.
She adds that on the evening after the vote, returnees from Belarus and Russia who had moved to Israel in recent years gathered together to celebrate “the first democratic election of their lives.”
“This is exactly what a democratic choice looks like in this country”
Igor (name changed—Ed.), an educational technology specialist, moved from Belarus shortly after the 2020 protests. This isn’t the first time he’s voted in Israel, and he considers it his civic duty: “I can’t imagine a scenario in which I wouldn’t feel responsible for the country’s development.”
According to him, the high voter turnout indicates that other voters also understand that this election, in particular, is largely decisive for the country.
Igor says that he did not vote for the ruling Likud party in either the 2022 election or this one. At the same time, he believes it’s important to recognize that a great many people still support it.
“After October 7 and other setbacks, the majority of the Israeli public still votes for Likud. That means this is the democratic choice of the people in the country. And this, of course, needs to be taken into account,” he notes. At the same time, Igor does not rule out that—if Netanyahu ceases to be the party’s leader—he himself might vote for it in the next election.
He also points out that Arab parties are projected to win 19 of the Knesset’s 120 seats. According to him, this result demonstrates that “Arab citizens of Israel have the same rights” as the country’s other residents.