Many Jewish Agency emissaries in U.S. barred from voting in Israel’s election
Published January 15, 2013
(JTA) — Many of the 200 emissaries of the Jewish Agency for Israel in North America will be unable to vote in Israel’s election.
Emissaries not employed directly by the Jewish Agency should be barred from voting in the Jan. 22 elections, according to a new reading of the Knesset Elections Law by Israel’s Central Elections Committee.
A group of emissaries asked Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky to request a change in the law that would enable them to vote, but to date no alteration has been made.
In previous years, Jewish Agency emissaries in North America had voting rights, but many of them are employed directly by local Jewish organizations such as federations or Hillels and thus are not eligiblbe to vote in this election.
Government employees abroad cast their absentee ballots last week.
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