Most Israelis believe Iran emerged stronger from war — Poll suggests

A new opinion poll has revealed growing skepticism among Israelis over the outcome of the recent Middle East conflict, with many respondents believing that Iran emerged stronger from the war and subsequent agreement with the United States, raising concerns about Israel’s long-term security.

The survey, conducted amid ongoing political debate over the conflict’s aftermath, found that a significant portion of the Israeli public is unconvinced that Israel achieved its strategic objectives during the war.

The findings underscore deep divisions within Israeli society over the effectiveness of the military campaign and the diplomatic arrangements that followed.

The poll of 3,644 respondents, conducted between June 17 and 20 by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in collaboration with the Agam Institute, paints a stark picture of public sentiment following the US-Iran deal.

Of those surveyed, 92.1 percent said Iran had won or gained more from the conflict, while 82.9 percent felt that Israel’s long-term security had been weakened.
The survey found that even among voters who support the right-wing bloc, the electoral base of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 93.1 percent believed Iran had won.

Opposition to the US-Iran agreement was widespread, with 63.2 percent of respondents opposing it compared with just 12.1 percent expressing support.

The findings pointed to a broader crisis of confidence in Israel’s leadership.

Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed, 72.5 percent, said they did not believe Netanyahu’s claims about the military campaign’s achievements, while 56.4 percent rated his management of the campaign as “failed” or “poor”.

The poll also pointed to the political price paid by Netanyahu, with support for his premiership plummeting from 40.5 percent in early March to 29.4 percent in June.