Weary Israelis' hopes, fears one eve of latest election

Ahead of Israel's November 1 general election, the fifth in four years, AFP spoke to voters about their views on the polls, the main issues and the country's perpetual political crisis.

- Bar owner: 'Future stability' -

The owner of a west Jerusalem bar, Leon Shvartz, 43, doubts the vote will end Israel's political crisis: "There's no chance this will be the last round of elections."

"Many people I know are simply desperate, and the despair comes from not seeing a horizon, not seeing any future stability," he said as he got to work dressed in a black t-shirt.

"The best scenario for me would be... that those who are elected are people who simply go to work, not worrying about their (parliamentary) seats," he added.

"The worst-case scenario -- which is also what I feel about where we're going -- is the continuation of political instability," he said, predicting it would lead to social and economic instability.

- Jewish settler: 'Fighting terror' -

An avid supporter of extreme-right leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, Yakir Abelow is a settler living in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

For him, voter apathy is a consequence of most political leaders failing to focus on the important issues.

"Making a proud Jewish state" and "fighting terror" are high on the agenda for the 22-year-old, who spends his time studying his religion.

"Hopefully this next government will really do what's necessary to make those important values" a priority, he said.

"The worst case scenario for us is that the people who are sitting in the Knesset (parliament) are people who don't understand what's important for us as a nation, that give in to our enemies."

- Office worker: 'Our security' -

Rachel Cohen, a secretary who joined right-wing opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu at a campaign rally in Migdal Haemek, northern Israel, was certain he will reclaim the premiership.

"He cares about the country," she said of the veteran Likud party leader.

Despite being an ardent Netanyahu fan, Cohen divulged she would potentially be happy with someone else taking power who shares her values. 

"It has to be someone who is good to us, who cares about us and our security."

- Arab-Israeli: 'Not voting' -

In the southern Negev desert region, Arab-Israeli teacher and café owner Rami Abu Sharem, 29, has decided to stay away from the polling booth.

"We voted all the other times but this time we are not going to vote," he said of his family, in the village of Hura.

"We think it's better to keep our votes to ourselves than to give them to a party who's not going to fulfil any of its promises," he added.

Once united, Israel's Arab-led parties split ahead of this election and are running on three separate slates.

In his café, Rami lamented the lack of state funding for the Arab community.

"There is zero investment in education in the Arab sector and particularly in the Bedouin community," to which he belongs, he said.