Over half of Israelis consider the Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria to be an obstacle to peace, a new poll conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute reveals.
The poll taken five months after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 reveals that 52% of respondents see these settlements as a security asset, while 43% perceive them as a detriment to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and a security risk to the Jewish State as a whole.
Views generally follow political lines, whereas an overwhelming 92% of those who support the current right-wing government view the settlements positively, whereas 72% of those aligned with the opposition regard them as problematic.
A striking 79% of Jewish respondents express doubt about the feasibility of reaching a peace agreement in the near future, with 65% “strongly agreeing” with this statement. Among Arab citizens, a lower share felt peace was beyond reach, at 40%.
Many Israelis view the communities in Judea and Samaria, established following the 1967 Six-Day War, as a legitimate expression of their historical and national rights. While international opinions vary, Israel contends that the settlements are a complex issue that should be resolved through direct negotiations.
