70% of Israelis oppose Palestinian state, survey finds

(JNS) — A new survey by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA) finds overwhelming Israeli opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The poll, conducted Nov. 16–17 by Dr. Menachem Lazar among 698 Jewish and Arab Israelis (±3.7 percent), finds 70 percent of Israelis oppose creating a Palestinian state along the 1967 lines—the highest level recorded by the Center since the war began.

Among Jewish Israelis, opposition stands at 79 percent.

Only 8 percent of respondents support a Palestinian state unconditionally. Thirteen percent said they would consider it only if the state recognizes Israel as the Jewish state and is fully demilitarized, while 9 percent were undecided.

The poll was taken just prior to the U.N. Security Council vote on Monday approving a resolution in support of the U.S. ceasefire plan for Gaza. The 20-point plan calls for disarming Hamas, rebuilding the Gaza Strip, and includes a pathway to recognition of a Palestinian state.

JCFA president Dan Diker criticized the Security Council move, calling it “ill-advised and poorly timed,” arguing that an international stabilization force is “a fantasy because no international security force will disarm Hamas.”

The U.S.-sponsored resolution will “undermine security, stability, and peace in the Middle East” by serving to bring pressure on Israel to curtail its counterterror operations while doing nothing to neutralize Hamas, said Diker.

Even when framed as part of a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, 62 percent of Israelis oppose a Palestinian state, according to the poll. Opposition rose to 73 percent among Jewish Israelis, while 56 percent of Arab Israelis would support such an arrangement.

On a potential U.S.-Saudi-Israel deal that would grant Riyadh F-35 jets if it drops its demand for a Palestinian state, the public is largely split: 43 percent oppose any such agreement, 40 percent support it, but most of those backers—34 percent of the total public—condition support on a U.S. guarantee to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge. Only 6 percent support the deal without conditions, while 22 percent of opponents cite distrust of Saudi commitments.

Regarding the resolution voted on by the Security Council, 49 percent of Israelis, and 57 percent of Jewish Israelis, oppose any Israeli declaration of future support for a Palestinian state, even if accompanied by Palestinian reforms.

Twenty percent would consider such a declaration only if the future state is demilitarized and recognizes Israel as the Jewish state.

On post-war Gaza arrangements, 62 percent support deployment of an international stabilization force, though 52 percent of those favor a U.S.- or Western-only contingent. Just 10 percent support including Turkey or Qatar, while 26 percent insist Israel must retain sole military control.