Poll: Most Israelis think PM cares more about holding power than winning war, freeing hostages
Half of respondents to Channel 12 survey say possible that gov’t could seek to cancel elections by citing national emergency, which Netanyahu denies: ‘This won’t happen. We’re democrats’
Most Israelis believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is more interested in remaining in power than winning the war or freeing hostages, according to an Israeli television poll aired Friday evening.
Asked what Netanyahu believes is his main goal, 55 percent of respondents to the Channel 12 news survey said staying in power, 36% said returning the hostages, and 9% said they were not sure.
When returning the hostages was swapped out for “winning the war,” the responses remained roughly the same.
Asked why there has not been another hostage deal, 53% of respondents cited political reasons, while 38% said legitimate reasons and 9% were unsure.
Asked whether Netanyahu generally managed to convince them in his press conference this week, 62% of respondents said he did not, 34% said he did and 4% were unsure.
Asked whether they believed Netanyahu when he said that he didn’t know about his top aides’ work on behalf of Qatar, which is being investigated by police in a case known as the Qatargate affair, 58% said they do not, 30% said they do and 12% said they weren’t sure.
Among coalition voters, 58% said they believe him and 27% said they do not.
The survey also said half of the respondents think there is a possibility the government could cancel the elections scheduled for next year by claiming a national emergency, versus 35% who do not believe that could happen.
The question about elections was included after Netanyahu was asked during Wednesday’s press conference why he has not resigned because of the failures surrounding the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, or called elections to seek a renewed mandate from the public.
“I am already being held accountable by the public every day. Every week there’s the possibility of a no-confidence vote. And once a no-confidence vote passes — the public has already made its decision. That will also happen in elections, when the time comes,” he said in response.
“Do you want elections now?” he asked. “Do you want me to list what we’re up against right now? Is that what we need — a commission of inquiry right now — when all our soldiers and commanders will be running around dressing up as lawyers instead of arming themselves with artillery shells and tank munitions?”
Now, “in the middle of a war,” is not the time, argued the premier.
On Friday, Netanyahu denied he would seek to push off the elections.
“I hope [the elections] are held as scheduled and I will do everything so they don’t happen before then. But one thing I can tell you — they won’t take place after the scheduled date. This won’t happen. You know why? Because we are democrats. We believe the public has the right to choose, unlike our rivals and others,” he said in a video statement.
“The elections will be held as scheduled, not later. That is nonsense,” Netanyahu added.
Golan’s popularity steady after remark on baby killing ‘hobby’
The Channel 12 survey also indicated that The Democrats chief Yair Golan has gained slightly more potential voters than he has lost following his comments this week that the Israeli government is killing babies in Gaza as a “hobby.”
Just five percent of Israelis said they were planning to vote for Golan and have changed their minds due to his comments.
Seven percent of respondents said that they weren’t planning on voting for his left-wing party and now will do so as a result of his comments.
Eight percent said they planned to vote for his party before and still plan to do so after his comments.
Sixty-nine percent of respondents said they had not planned to vote for The Democrats and still do not.
Channel 12 did not specify how many respondents were included in the poll released Friday or provide a margin of error for the results.
The Times of Israel Community.