Poll: Majority of Israeli Jews Oppose Full Gaza Withdrawal, Support Military Rule
A new survey from the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) reveals a significant shift in Israeli public opinion regarding the Gaza Strip. As of September 2026, 72% of Israeli Jews stated they would "under no circumstances" agree to a full withdrawal from Gaza without maintaining a security perimeter within the territory. This figure represents an increase from 68% in September 2025. Across the entire Israeli population, 59% oppose a withdrawal without such a security buffer.
The poll also indicates a growing support for the complete occupation of Gaza and the establishment of direct military rule for several years. Support for this option rose to 30% among all Israelis, up from 24% last year, and to 36% among Israeli Jews, up from 27%. The percentage of those completely opposing occupation remained stable at 46%, suggesting the shift is driven by undecided individuals moving towards supporting occupation.
Politically, the issue shows sharp polarization. 62% of those identifying as right-wing support general occupation of Gaza, compared to 32% in the center-right. Conversely, 91% of left-wing respondents and 88% of center-left respondents oppose it.
Regarding the perception of victory in the military campaign, 40% of all Israelis rated their sense of victory as high (4 or 5 out of 5), while 37% gave low ratings (1 or 2). This sense of victory is concentrated in the right-wing camp, with 77% of those identifying as right-wing giving high ratings, compared to significantly lower percentages in other political segments, including 0% among the left-wing.
Another section of the survey addressed the violent incident in Qusra. When asked to define the young Jewish individuals who rioted there, 33% of all Israelis (and 27% of Jews) chose the term "Israeli terrorists." An additional 18% classified them as "nationalist criminals," bringing the total using the harshest descriptions to 51%.
On the issue of rising global antisemitism and its connection to Israeli policy, 36% of all Israelis believe the phenomenon is not related to state policy at all, while 34% believe it is significantly influenced by it. Among Israeli Jews, 44% deny any connection, while 58% of Israeli Arabs believe there is a significant connection. Despite this, 47% of all Israelis and 57% of Jews believe Israel should not change its policies due to antisemitism, whereas 60% of Israeli Arabs support policy changes.
