Poll: Most Israelis – Jewish and Arab – think ‘absolute victory’ against Hamas in Gaza unlikely

A new poll finds that most Israelis — Jewish and Arab alike — don’t believe that “absolute victory” is possible in the war with Hamas in Gaza.

An Israel Democracy Institute wartime survey finds 51% of Jewish respondents and 77.5% of Arab Israelis believe there is a low likelihood of the war ending with such a victory.

The poll also finds differences along the Israeli political spectrum, with 84% of left-wing respondents, 63% of centrist respondents and 55% of right-wing respondents agreeing that the likelihood of “absolute victory” is low.

The poll results come after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this month that Israel was “within touching distance of absolute victory.”

The poll also finds that 63% of Jewish Israelis oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, while 73% of Arab Israelis support it.