(JTA) — Many of the 200 emissaries of the Jewish Agency for Israel across the globe will be unable to vote in Israel’s election.
Emissaries not employed directly by the Jewish Agency are 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 JAFI Chairman Natan Sharansky to request a change in the law that would enable them to vote. Sharansky, along with JAFI Director-General Alan Hoffman, appealed to the committee on the emissaries’ behalf, but the appeal was denied.
In previous years, Jewish Agency emissaries 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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