Sep 2, 2026

Interesting Psak: voting for a non Jew

Ofer Vinter's new party, Amcha Yisrael, was formed jointly between Vinter and Yoseph Haddad, an Arab Israeli Christian Zionist who takes the number two slot on the party list. Haddad served in the IDF (as a fighter in the Golani brigade) and became very popular and well known, over the past few years as he got very involved in pro Israel advocacy and would go to Arab protests around the world and stand up for Israel in the face of throngs of haters.

A party led by Ofer Vinter and Yoseph Haddad is one that could be very popular in the right wing side of the electorate. As a new party it will surely struggle with the minimum threshold leading up to the elections (so far they are refusing to even consider joining together with another party) but if it can get in and establish its base, it can grow into something big. That is a big if as they are and will draw a lot of opposition as opponents look for them to fail. 

Amcha Yisrael just had a wrench thrown into its works. 

Rav Shlomo Aviner, one of the leadng rabbis of the Religious Zionist sector, was asked during a shiur if one is allowed to vote for this new party, Amcha Yisrael, considering the number two slot is filled by a non-Jew, Yoseph Haddad.

Rav Aviner responded that people should definitely not vote for them. Rav Aviner explained that non-Jews that are friends of ours need to be treated well but, even if he would qualify as a ger toshav, or even as a "righteous person among the nations" he still cannot be given positions of leadership in the Land of Israel. Such a person can be a citizen and should be treated well, btu he cannot be a leader in Israel.
source: Srugim 

Vinter himself has responded to this saying that when he fought under fire in Lebanon, in Gaza, and in Judea and Samaria, he was commanded over by, and he commanded over, Druze, Christians and Bedouin commanders and fighters. He referred to some specific commanders who were worthy of their command and were leaders who did not abandon their soldiers, alongside others who fell in battle defending the Land of Israel. They were worthy to fight for, get injured for, and sometimes die for, the State, they were worthy enough for us to follow them into battle, they are also worthy enough to be leaders.

The Likud has for many years, maybe always, included non-Jews on its list for Knesset and many have served as Members of Knesset and even as Minister. I dont remember hearing calls from Rabbis to not vote Likud (correct me if there were and I am not remembering correctly) so as to not be putting a non-Jew in position of leadership in Israel over the Jewish people. 


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