Reverberations from the "Earthquake": Collective Memory and Why Mizrahi Israelis Vote for the Israeli Right
Humanities
History Department - Senior Thesis 195A&B
This project examines why Mizrahi Israelis – Jews who trace their pre-Israeli heritage to the Middle East and North Africa – have consistently voted for Israel’s Likud party and the Israeli Right since Menachem Begin’s “Earthquake” election in 1977. To address this question, this thesis examines the relationship between Mizrahi Israelis and the Israeli Right through the lens of collective memory. Collective memory amplifies the emotional dimension of how Mizrahi Israelis understand of their relationship to the Israeli Right within the framework of a greater understanding of their role and history in the state of Israel. Through this exploration of collective memory, this thesis articulates the core elements that bolster Mizrahi Israelis’ and the Israeli Right’s continued political partnership, and demonstrates how these core elements continue to produce a potent impact on Israeli politics today. In this thesis, I conclude that Mizrahi Israelis’ collective memory of their relationship to the Israeli Right – and the ways in which this collective memory is integral to Mizrahi Israelis’ sense of pride, dignity, agency, and identity – is a major factor in why Mizrahi Israelis have historically voted and continue to vote for the Israeli Right.
