Israeli opinion polls conducted after the announcement of a ceasefire with Iran revealed a complex picture that contradicts the narrative of decisive victory that Benjamin Netanyahu's government attempted to promote. These results reflect a high appreciation for the military establishment's performance, while simultaneously indicating widespread doubts about the strategic utility of the war and a significant decline in trust in the political leadership.
According to a poll published by Hebrew media, the general mood in Israel is far from celebratory, with 63% of respondents expressing dissatisfaction with the outcome of the confrontation. Only 22% believed that Israel and the United States achieved victory, compared to 46% who affirmed the absence of any real achievement, reflecting a gap between official rhetoric and popular reality.
In another poll conducted by the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, 58% stated that the battle did not end in favor of Tel Aviv and Washington, while 56% supported continuing military attacks instead of moving towards de-escalation. These figures reinforce the impression that the public views the ceasefire as an incomplete decision that did not achieve the desired deterrence against Tehran.
Israel's Channel 12 also reported that 53% of the public opposed the ceasefire decision, compared to only 30% who supported it, indicating a state of frustration. Opinions were also divided on the identity of the victor, with 40% believing that no one won this round, while 19% thought that Iran emerged with the upper hand.
The data indicates a strong conviction among the Israeli public that the confrontation with Iran is not over yet, but merely a temporary truce that could erupt at any moment. 45% of participants in the polls expected the conflict to resume within just two weeks, while others believed that the calm would not last for more than one year.
On the political front, the war's results were not in favor of the ruling Likud party, as polls showed a decline in its number of seats, ranging between 22 and 25. This decline puts Netanyahu in a critical position against his rivals, especially with the rise of figures like Naftali Bennett, who has begun to significantly narrow the gap with the current prime minister.
The biggest beneficiary of these shifts appears to be the security alternatives camp, as Gadi Eisenkot continued his progress in opinion polls, achieving between 12 and 14 seats. Eisenkot is seen as a more balanced figure in managing security and political files compared to the current leadership, which faces sharp criticism.
In contrast, Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz emerged as the biggest losers in the new political map, with Lapid's representation declining to only about 6 seats. As for Gantz, some polls showed his decline to dangerous levels approaching the electoral threshold, indicating a broad reshaping of the balance of power within the opposition.
The figures reveal a huge gap in assessment between the military and political levels, with Air Force Commander Tomer Bar receiving the trust of 77% of the public. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir also received a positive rating of 71%, which illustrates the public's alignment with the security establishment at the expense of politicians.
In contrast, Benjamin Netanyahu received a satisfaction rating of no more than 47%, while Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was at the bottom of the list with 40%. This data suggests that Israelis clearly distinguish between the success of the army's field performance and the failure of the political level to translate that strength into sustainable political gains.
Despite the pessimism regarding the outcome of the war with Iran, polls showed a clear tendency towards toughness on other fronts, especially the northern front. 77% of Israelis demanded the continuation of military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon until all declared objectives are achieved, without relying on de-escalation understandings.
This trend towards regional escalation reflects a broad current that believes Israel stopped the war before exhausting its full military capacity to achieve deterrence. The public appears to reject diplomatic compromises at this stage, preferring to expand military pressure in neighboring arenas to ensure long-term security.
The summary of these polls outlines four fundamental truths: first, the absence of popular satisfaction; second, deep skepticism about government claims of victory. The third truth is the continuous erosion of Netanyahu's standing, and the fourth is the strong rise of alternatives with security and military backgrounds.
The ceasefire did not end the internal debate in Israel, but rather opened the door to discussion about the utility of wars and the limits of military power in resolving conflicts. Israelis emerge from this round in a state of confusion, trusting generals more than politicians, and fearing the return of fighting more than believing in the narrative of decisive victory.
The Israeli public does not view the ceasefire as an acceptable conclusion to a successful war, but rather as a halt to a round of fighting whose results have not yet been decided.
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Sharp Israeli Division Over Ceasefire with Iran: Doubts About Victory and Declining Trust in Politicians