Zehut's poll results bring out interesting reactions

The good news is that the political party Zehut, led by Moshe Feiglin, has finally made its first appearance in the polls as crossing the minimum threshold. Even if you do not support Zehut, it is good to see that so many votes will, hopefully, not just be wasted, if the polls are any actual indication of what to expect.

The publication of this poll by Israel Hayom on Friday has generated a lot of interesting reactions.

Zehut supporters and activists were overjoyed on social media and posted exuberantly about the polls finally show Zehut passing the threshold. Zehut opponents and others who have insisted on not voting for Zehut so as not to waste votes responded with comments such as the polls not being correct or there is no chance it will happen or other reasons not to vote for Zehut.

I find these both interesting.

Zehut supporters and activists have all along said they do not pay attention to polls and do not care about them. They wrote off Zehut not appearing in poll results explaining that pollsters do not know how to poll for Zehut, as Zehut is using new methods of campaigning and politicking never before seen in Israel. They said the polls do not know how to read the map with Zehut, so they are worthless, at least in regard to predicting Zehut's future success.

Suddenly the polls are starting to show Zehut passing the threshold and they are overjoyed, as if the polls are important and do know how to read Zehut.

So all along, they really did care about the polls but had to convince themselves the polls are not important to justify their continued support for, what was then, a failing party.

And the opponents of Zehut who have all along argued against voting Zehut so as to not waste votes on another party that will not cross the threshold, generally argued this. I am referring to people who are potential supporters of Zehut, in the Zehut wheelhouse - not political opponents. Like any political party, there is a multitude of reasons some people might support a party and others might oppose it. I am not referring to people who oppose Zehut because they disagree with the platform or dislike the leadership and other personalities behind it. I am referring to people who could be supporters of Zehut, within a similar ideological "Venn Diagram" but opposed Zehut and argued against solely because of the concern that Zehut would not cross the threshold and would be a wasted vote. These people should theoretically now see the new poll and say that perhaps it deserves reconsideration, or they should express their support.

Instead, even these potential supporters who insisted all along that they won't vote Zehut because of the wasting of the vote, are now suddenly giving other reasons why not to vote for Zehut. So all along, their opposition to Zehut was really just opposition to Zehut. Their excuse of the wasted vote was just an excuse, perhaps an easy brush-off of annoying Zehut activists.     

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