Sixty-three percent of Israeli Jews oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, and most believe that terrorism will either stay the same (27.5%) or increase (44%) should one be created, according to the Israel Democracy Institute’s eleventh War in Gaza survey, published on Wednesday.
The survey puts the majority of Israeli Jews at odds with the Biden administration, the European Union and other international players pushing for Palestinian statehood in the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre.
It also underscores the differences between Israel’s Arab and Jewish populations; 73% of Israeli Arabs support a Palestinian state. The figure is even higher among Israeli Jews on the left at 77%, while 48% in the center and 78% on the right oppose such a state.
Furthermore, the most common view (44%) among Israel Jews regarding terrorism is that it will intensify should a Palestinian state be realized, with 27.5% saying it will stay the same, 21% answering that it will weaken but not cease and 7% not knowing. None of the respondents believed terrorism would stop completely. In contrast, a plurality (41%) of Israeli Arabs believe that terrorism will cease upon the establishment of a Palestinian state.
While the Biden administration has been discussing a “revitalized“ Palestinian Authority taking the reins in the Gaza Strip after Hamas is defeated, both Israeli Jews and Arabs agree that the likelihood of the P.A. reforming remains low.
A large 81% majority of Israeli respondents gave a low chance for Ramallah to reform, including 83% of Jews and 70% of Arabs.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday night again came out forcefully against the prospect of any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, amid reports the Biden administration is considering such a move.
The prime minister also announced he would bring a motion against the prospect for a vote in the Knesset plenum.
“For five months, we have been running an unprecedented political campaign, which has allowed our fighters the freedom of action to achieve all the goals of the war,” began Netanyahu. “During this period, we resisted many international pressures aimed at stopping the war,” he said.
“But in the last few days we are witnessing a new type of pressure: An attempt to unilaterally impose upon us the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger the existence of Israel,” he continued.
“We reject it outright,” he said.
On Sunday, the Israeli Cabinet unanimously approved a statement rejecting any unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood.
That’s it?