30,000 Americans in Israel vote in midterms

[Israeli]

iVoteIsrael makes voting for US citizens in Israel more accessible, thus encouraging participation in the democratic process; diplomatic rift between Obama, Netanyahu administrations drove more ex-Pats to vote.

Anav Silverman, Tazpit

Over 30,000 US citizens living in Israel cast their vote in this week's US midterm elections. iVoteIsrael, the leading organization facilitating the ability of Americans in Israel to vote in US elections, has successfully completed its 2014 campaign making voting from Israel more accessible to as many Americans in Israel as possible.

“iVoteIsrael is pleased to announce that 30,000 Americans from 36 different states have cast their ballots in the 2014 elections from Israel,” said Matt Solomon, national director of iVoteIsrael. “This represents an unprecedented increase in voter participation from Israel in a non-Presidential election.”

According to iVoteIsrael, the 'war of words' between the Obama and Netanyahu administrations that went public during the final weeks of the campaign, including accusations by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel was being treated in an "un-American' manner," and senior US officials labeling Netanyahu as "chickenshit," became a major driver in turning out US ex-Pats to vote.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4589271,00.html

[King_David]

1. 30 000 is not that many voters at all

[Israeli]

2. It was this part ....

" “This represents an unprecedented increase in voter participation from Israel in a non-Presidential election.”

According to iVoteIsrael, the 'war of words' between the Obama and Netanyahu administrations that went public during the final weeks of the campaign, including accusations by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel was being treated in an "un-American' manner," and senior US officials labeling Netanyahu as "chickenshit," became a major driver in turning out US ex-Pats to vote. "

....that got my attention KD not the numbers .

BTW I have a must read for you ....would love your opinion on it .....

Time for American Jews to confront Israel’s demons

In last week’s election, American Jews stayed steadfastly loyal to their liberal values, yet they turn a blind eye to their steady erosion in Israel.

American Jews should practice what they preach and demand that Israel be just as democratic, freedom loving and respectful of minority rights as America is, or as they would want it to be. They can no longer turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to Israel’s struggling democracy, nor claim any right to remain silent. And they shouldn’t believe official Israelis who tell them things aren’t all that bad: their only aim is to watch American Jews go back to burying their heads in the sand.

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-ga/1.625456

Its ok you can read it all ....no paywall

[oberliner]

3. "be just as democratic, freedom loving and respectful of minority rights as America is..."

Seriously?

[King_David]

4. I did read it before

And a lot of American Jews are doing just that.
But also a lot of post Zionist Israeli patriots are telling American Jews to butt out of Israel's internal affairs.

[azurnoir]

5. all in all 30,000 in mid term elections which are local elections makes little difference

and seeing as how they are to elect House and Senate members among other things one would hard put to find one that is not 'Pro-Israel'

That said I found the IVoteIsrael campaign during the Presidential election just a tad offensive in that the gist is for American ex's to vote for what would be favorable to Israel not the US

a couple of interesting threads on those elections here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113420508

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113420263