Majority of Israelis stand behind Damascus strike despite Iran's response, poll finds

• Published date: 22 April 2024
• Author: DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

A total of 514 respondents were interviewed via an internet panel and by telephone in Hebrew and 98 in Arabic. he maximum sampling error was ±4.04% at a confidence level of 95%

Mohammed Reza Zahedi, the top commander in the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) for Lebanon and Syria was assassinated in an airstrike, The Jerusalem Post reported. He was killed alongside a lieutenant and about five other officers, according to the IRGC. Bloomberg reported that an entire IRGC command wing was killed.

A total of 80% of Jewish Israelis surveyed reported supporting the strike as "the right thing to do." However, the majority of Arab-Israelis (67%) felt it was "the wrong course of action."

The consensus among Jewish Israelis remains similar across most of the political spectrum, although those identifying as right-wing are most supportive of the strike comparatively. 90.5% of right-wing Jewish Israelis support the strike, and 77% of politically centred Jewish Israelis. However, only a large minority of left-wing Israelis (45%) believe it was the right course of action.

Palestinian statehood and regional calm

Asked whether Israel should agree to the establishment of a future Palestinian state in exchange for a regional defense agreement, only 26% of Jewish Israelis said they supported the idea. The exchange was far more popular amongst Arab Israelis, 74% backing this trade.

Going against the trend, 69% of left-wing Jewish Israelis would agree to the trade-off. Only 32% of Centrist and 14.5% of right-wing Jewish Israelis would support such a deal.

The future of the Gaza Strip

While internationally little has been decided on who should run the Gaza Strip, once the terrorist leadership is removed, Israelis agree a little more.

Almost half of those surveyed agreed that an international force or the Palestinian Authority should rule the enclave. Around one-quarter said that Israel should maintain a limited military presence in the strip and 19% supported the re-establishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza.

Asked who should rebuild Gaza once the war against Hamas has concluded, 13% of Jewish-Israelis and 63% of Arab Israelis said Israel should be involved in efforts.

A majority of Arab Israelis (68%), and an even larger majority of Jewish Israelis (87%), reported having seen a few or many pictures or videos of the widespread destruction in Gaza. Similar viewing levels were found across the political spectrum among Jews.

Who is really winning...