Three-quarters of Jewish Israelis support the planned IDF invasion of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah in an effort to deliver a knockout blow to Hamas, a new poll by the Israel Democracy Institute shows.
The strength of support varies across political orientations, the survey finds. Among Jewish Israelis, 45% of those identifying as left-wing back the IDF action, with support significantly higher among respondents from the center and right-wing political spectrums.
The poll indicates a stark contrast in opinion between Jewish and Arab Israelis, with two-thirds of Arab respondents opposing the expansion of military operations. There is also a split perspective on Israel’s standing on the international stage, with 63% of Arab respondents viewing Israel’s international situation negatively compared to 44% of Jewish respondents.
Whether Israelis believe in continued strong U.S. backing varies, the study found. About 40% anticipate strong or substantial support, 34% perceive it as moderate, and 20% express skepticism.
A contentious topic highlighted by the survey is the issue of draft exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community. A significant majority of Jewish respondents (70%) believe reforms are necessary, a sentiment that escalates to 86% among secular Jews. Support drops dramatically to 19% among the ultra-Orthodox community.
