Majority of Israelis Support Military Control of Gaza after Ceasefire – New Poll
A new Maariv poll shows most Israelis reject Palestinian statehood, favor military rule in Gaza post-ceasefire, and back Trump’s Gaza war plan.
An opinion poll published by the Israeli newspaper Maariv revealed that 52 percent of Israelis are in favor of taking full control of the Gaza Strip and imposing a temporary military administration after any future ceasefire agreement.
At the same time, a significant majority of 64 percent expressed their opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the borders of 1967.
The survey was conducted in early July by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, targeting a representative sample of more than 700 Israeli participants, and was later reported by Maariv.
When asked about the possibility of a similar operation to that of October 7, 2023, but this time originating from the West Bank, 66 percent of respondents said they were worried such an attack could take place.
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A clear majority, 56 percent, also stated that they would refuse to return to Kibbutz Be’eri, located in the Gaza periphery, if Hamas were to remain in power in the Gaza Strip. In contrast, only 16 percent said they would be willing to return under those circumstances.
The survey further revealed deep skepticism toward the involvement of the Palestinian Authority in any future political settlement related to Gaza.
53 percent of Israelis opposed the participation of the Palestinian Authority in the governance of Gaza, while just 26 percent expressed support for such an arrangement.
This opposition to Palestinian statehood also extended more broadly, with 58 percent of respondents completely rejecting the idea of establishing a Palestinian state.
A further 24 percent said they would only support a Palestinian state if two conditions were met: that Israel be recognized as a Jewish state and that any Palestinian state remain completely demilitarized. Only a small minority of 8 percent said they supported the creation of a Palestinian state unconditionally.
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The poll also touched on Israeli attitudes toward broader regional dynamics.
72 percent of respondents indicated that they would support normalization of relations with Syria, but only if such normalization guaranteed Israel full freedom of military and security action in the region.
A mere seven percent supported unconditional normalization with Syria, reflecting prevailing concerns over security risks.
Interestingly, the poll found widespread backing for US President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to end the ongoing war in Gaza.
Overall, 69 percent of Israelis supported the Trump plan, with levels of support increasing to 82 percent among Jewish respondents specifically.
(PC, AJA, Israeli media)