The Israel-Gaza conflict, with its recurring waves of violence and fragile ceasefires, has deeply impacted the psyche and opinions within Israeli society. As the war continues, the public sentiment in Israel is shaped by a complex mix of fear, resilience, political ideology, and a longing for peace. This blog delves into the multifaceted perspectives of Israelis during the latest flare-up in Gaza, exploring how various segments of the population perceive the conflict, their government’s response, and the prospects for a lasting resolution. By examining these internal voices, we aim to provide a nuanced understanding of the Israeli public’s stance amidst this ongoing strife.

The national support for the Netanyahu government has fallen remarkably due to its inability to meet either of its goals- destroying Hamas and rescuing remaining hostages. Yet, 2/3rd of the Israelis supported the military action in Gaza. There is a need to understand these contradictory dynamics in the public mindset. 

The attacks on Israel on Oct. 7th led to widespread national trauma and retreated old feelings of persecution. Additionally, the global response to Hamas attacks led to a perceived need for self-defence. While the US, the UK and France condemned the attacks shortly after, Russia and China never condemned the attacks. It took the UN 5 months to recognise the cases of systemic sexual violence committed by Hamas (although this has been challenged and proven wrong). This brought a sense of isolation and a new form of anti-semitism against the Israelis. Netanyahu exploited these feelings to gain support for the war in Gaza and downplay legitimate criticism of his government. 

Beginning of Netanyahu’s downfall

Recent polls have shown a fall of trust for the Israeli government to uphold the democracy and security of Israel. The following graph shows a continuous and sharp decline in optimism about the future of democratic rule and national security. 

In January, only 15% of the Israelis thought that Benjamin Netanyahu should stay in the office. There are a number of reasons for the growing distrust in the current government of Israel. 

First, the inability of the government to strike a deal with Hamas to bring the hostages safely back to the country. In an opinion poll, 47% of the Israelis supported ending the war in Gaza in exchange for the hostages. Additionally, among the Jewish and Arab samples, 56% of the Jewish public thinks securing a deal with Hamas to bring the hostages back is the highest priority against military action in Gaza (37%). An overwhelming majority, 88.5% in the Arab sample, believes that securing a deal with Hamas to bring back the hostages should be the highest priority. The idea that only military pressure will lead to the release of hostages seems less and less achievable as only 7 of the hostages were released by the IDF (104 were released through a deal and 5 were released unilaterally by Hamas).  

Second, there are issues that predate the Gaza war. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul threatened the democratic foundations of the country by limiting the powers of the judiciary. This move by Netanyahu and his allies aimed to consolidate control over the judicial branch, undermining the system of checks and balances. Consequently, this step has led to widespread public distrust regarding the government’s intentions. 

Third, the threat to the government comes from within as well. The supreme court ruling that instructs the government to start drafting Haredi (ultra-orthodox) men in the army holds particular significance in Israeli politics. Since the establishment of the state of Israel, the first prime minister exempted the Haredi community studying in religious institutions from military service. And for the first time ever, the IDF needs more soldiers than ever. A large majority of jewish population (70%) want changes to the conscription law and are unwilling to bear the burden of the war. This is a growing problem for Netanyahu as the rising opposition of the blanket exemption can drive apart his governing coalition including haredi parties.  

Lastly, 80% of the sample believes that the government has no plan of action after the war ends. This opinion has been shared by all of the sample across all the political spectrums. The same can be seen from the figures below. 

While the public was divided on this in October 2023, the opinion sharply declined by the end of May 2024. The official reason for invading Rafah was to destroy the last four Hamas battalions and pressure the release of hostages. However,  the public does not buy into this explanation. It is being perceived that Netanyahu does not want to end the war as there seems to be no concrete plan of action and it would mean an end to his government. 

On the basis of this, the majority of Israel believes that there will be no absolute victory in the war with Gaza as seen in the figure below. A breakdown of the survey in terms of political orientation shows that those who belong to the centre and the left believe there is a low likelihood of an absolute victory (63% and 84% respectively) while those on the right believe that there is a strong likelihood (55%)  that Israel will emerge glorious from the war. 

Within Israel, different sections perceive the war differently

People across Israeli society perceive the war very differently and the starkest difference has been observed between the Arab and Jewish populations of Israel. A Pew Research Center Survey conducted in the months of March and April 2024 found that 75% of the Arabs (which account for 1/5th of Israel’s population) think that the war has gone too far. The number for the same is a mere 4% in the Jewish population. 

There are further differences regarding the governance of the Gaza Strip after the war between the two communities. Almost no Arabs (only 3%) are in favour of Israel governing the Gaza Strip post-war, whereas a significant portion of Jews, about half, believe that Israel should take on this role. Furthermore, a plurality of Arabs (46%) would prefer that the people who live in Gaza themselves decide who governs the region. In contrast, only a small fraction of Jews, just 8%, support the idea of the Gazans making this decision. 

While a part of the disconnect may arise from ideological differences, religious backgrounds and personal views, another reason is how the war is portrayed in the media. As from the figures below, a majority of the population consumes the news from Israeli media houses. The perception of the war is completely different in international media and Israeli media. The vast suffering of the war has not been prominently featured in these media houses. In an op-ed by a lawyer Michael Sfard said- “Seven months of Israel displacing, shelling, starving, killing, crushing and crowding together about 2 million people—and on the Israeli channels there’s nothing,”. The media houses in Israel contend that the IDF has gone to great lengths to save civilian lives while fighting the war. This difference in coverage of the war can be a contributing factor to the gap in perceptions about the war. 

The stark differences in opinions between Arabs and Jews have fueled significant doubts about the prospects of living together peacefully. Among Arabs, 37% remain optimistic about the possibility of coexistence, believing that a peaceful future is attainable. In contrast, an equal proportion of Jews, 37%, are pessimistic about this prospect, expressing scepticism about the potential for harmonious living between the two communities. This divergence in perspectives underscores the challenges and complexities in fostering mutual understanding and coexistence within Israeli society.

Conclusion

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza has deeply affected Israeli society, exposing significant divisions and complex feelings among its people. The stark differences in opinions between the Arab population of Israel and the Jewish population of Israel regarding governance, military actions, and prospects for peace highlight the challenges in achieving unity. Trust in the Netanyahu government has sharply declined due to unmet promises, efforts to limit judicial power, and a perceived lack of clear plans for the post-war future. This has led to growing scepticism about the government’s leadership.

Tens of thousands of Israelis are taking to the streets, demanding elections and calling for a deal with Hamas to secure the release of hostages. While Netanyahu has firmly refused to sign such a comprehensive deal, he has expressed willingness to consider a “partial” agreement that would facilitate the return of some hostages without ending the war in Gaza. This conflict has increasingly become perceived as Netanyahu’s war rather than Israel’s war, as the government loses public support for continuing the military action. This growing opposition may drive Netanyahu to adopt even more reckless strategies in an effort to maintain his position.