The attitudes of the Israeli Jewish public have changed since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas invasion and the ensuing war in the Gaza Strip, a poll the New York-based Council for a Secure America (CSA) released on Tuesday finds.
Sixty-five percent of Israeli Jewish likely voters now oppose a two-state solution that would see the creation of a “Palestinian” state.
Of those, nearly half (44%) moved toward opposing a two-state solution as a direct result of Oct. 7.
“The October 7 massacre and the war against Hamas have had significant impacts on the lives of everyday Israelis,” said Jennifer Sutton, executive director of CSA. “While October 7 has moved Israelis strongly away from a two-state solution, they remain optimistic about their relations in the broader Middle East.”
For instance, 77% of respondents support the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.
Fifty-eight percent of respondents said that Iran is the puppet master directing attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
“Israelis also clearly see that Iran is the real culprit here, orchestrating these attacks through their proxies in the region,” Sutton said.
The survey found near unanimous agreement among Jewish voters of the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
“Israelis deeply value the alliance between their country and the United States for the future of Israel’s security and economy. This poll provides an important snapshot that will help U.S. policymakers and stakeholders better understand the critical relationship between our two countries,” Sutton said.
A majority of Israelis want to see Israel or an international coalition that includes Arab countries govern Gaza after the war, showing that most Israelis oppose not only Hamas, but also the Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority, as a replacement.
Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they or someone in their family has served in the military since Oct. 7. Nineteen percent said they or someone in their family evacuated from their home since Oct. 7.
Data was collected on July 8-10 by Panels Ltd. from 612 Israeli Jewish likely voters. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.0% with a confidence level of 95%.
The Council for a Secure America, according to its website, is dedicated to promoting U.S. energy independence, its impact on U.S. foreign policy, and the strategic relationship between America and Israel.
