Readiness to Break the Law among Ideological Young Adults in Contested Israeli Settlements

Evacuation of Jewish settlements was and still is a controversial issue within Israeli society and elsewhere. The dispute is between those who support it and those who call for their continued establishment and annexation to the State of Israel. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors related to the readiness of Jewish young adults to participate in acts of protest, as well as to break the law, for ideological reasons. 224 young adults completed a demographic questionnaire and questionnaires measuring social control, self-control, impulsivity, ideology, and relationships to national institutions. Two different and distinct models for predicting readiness to take part in protest activities against policy decisions that contradict one’s religious-ideological outlook were found: One for predicting readiness to act legally and the other for predicting readiness to act illegally. The findings show that despite the significance of ideological views for involvement in ideological delinquency, formal and informal supervisory factors carry considerable weight in preventing delinquency.