The percentage of Israeli Jews who believe in the peaceful coexistence of an Israeli and a Palestinian state has drastically decreased since Oct. 7, as per a recent survey.
According to a study published by the Pew Research Center, only 19% of Israeli Jews now support the idea of both states existing peacefully, marking the lowest number since Pew began surveying Israelis in 2013. This figure has dropped from 32% in a survey conducted just before the outbreak of the war.
Back in 2013, nearly half of Israeli Jews, along with a majority of the overall Israeli population, backed a two-state solution. Another polling firm in 2005 also found that a majority of Israeli Jews were in favor of establishing a Palestinian state.
Presently, a quarter of all Israeli adults, including almost half of Israeli Arabs, believe that a peaceful coexistence between a Palestinian state and Israel is achievable. This finding, among others from the Pew survey conducted in March and April, indicates that Israelis are preparing for more conflict as the Israel-Hamas war nears its eighth month. The survey had a sample size of around 1,000 Israeli adults and a margin of error of 4%.
The survey highlights significant discrepancies between Jewish and Arab respondents. For instance, 74% of Arab Israelis feel that Israel’s military response against Hamas in Gaza has been excessive, compared to only 4% of Jewish Israelis who share this view.
While 76% of Jewish Israelis are confident that Israel will achieve its objectives in the war, only 38% of Arab Israelis share the same sentiment.
Despite their differences, both Jewish and Arab Israelis express concerns about the war escalating to other fronts, with 61% from each group worried about this possibility. This concern has been heightened by the ongoing exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and other violent incidents in the region.
With Israel’s national security adviser predicting that the war could last until the end of the year, the survey reveals that a majority of both Jewish and Arab Israelis (77% and 66%, respectively) are anxious about the conflict dragging on.
The poll also delves into the contentious issue of who should govern Gaza post-war. While 40% of Israelis, including half of the Jewish respondents, believe Israel should retain control over the territory, 18% support a Palestinian Authority-led administration. Another 14% advocate for the residents of Gaza to decide their future governance, while 9% of Arab Israelis and none of the Jewish Israelis endorse Hamas continuing to rule Gaza.
Although the survey was conducted before significant developments such as the Rafah operation and the International Criminal Court prosecutor seeking Netanyahu’s arrest, it reflects growing disapproval among Israelis towards President Joe Biden’s handling of the war. By the time of the survey, 60% of Israeli Jews and 86% of Israeli Arabs disapproved of Biden’s approach to the conflict.
Netanyahu’s popularity has also taken a hit, with the poll showing his favorability rating at 41%, the lowest in 11 years of Pew surveys. In comparison, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and former Defense Minister Benny Gantz received higher favorability ratings at 61% and 51%, respectively. A recent poll indicates a slight recovery in Netanyahu’s popularity among the Israeli public after a dip following Oct. 7.
CORRECTION: This article incorrectly stated that 2% of Jewish Israelis support Hamas governing Gaza post-war. The accurate percentage is zero percent.