Latest polls in Israel continue to be bad news for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as only 15% of Israelis want him to stay in office after the war on Hamas in Gaza ends, the Times of Israel reported Jan. 2.
Conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute, the survey revealed continued support for the hardline military operation against Hamas, with 56% saying continuing the military offensive was the best way to rescue the hostages. This compared with 24% thinking a swap deal including the release of thousands more Palestinian prisoners from Israel’s jails would be best.
The survey asked respondents whether Israel should shift the war in Gaza into lower gear in light of reported American demands. Put that way, some 66% responded in the negative, while 22.7% said yes.
Jewish and Arab Israelis appeared as mirror images, with 65% of the former pushing for a military solution and 62% of the latter calling for a deal. A full 25% of Arab respondents admitted that they had no answer for the wrenching issue.
Only 26.8% thought Israel had met the goal of destroying Hamas, while 14% thought Israel had largely succeeded in bringing the hostages home.
