Most Israelis Say People Hide Their Politics, Especially on the Right

A JPPI, Jewish People Policy Institute, survey for June 2026 found that many Israelis believe people are increasingly reluctant to state political views openly, including both right-wing and left-wing voters. The finding follows recent public debate sparked by a video, “Abba, Ima, Ani Bibist,” about a young man afraid to reveal support for the prime minister to his family.

Overall, 59% of Israelis said there are right-wingers who are ashamed to tell those close to them what they think, with 38% saying there are many and 21% saying there are few. Among people who define themselves as right-wing, 85% said this problem exists in their camp. In the center, opinions were split, while on the left and center-left most respondents said it is rare or nonexistent. On the mirror question about the left, 46% of the public said left-wingers also hide their views, including 17% who said there are many. Eighty percent of self-described leftists said this is true in their camp.

The survey also found that Israelis overwhelmingly define the right primarily by opposition to a Palestinian state, chosen by 64% of respondents, including 79% of right-wingers. By contrast, only 10% of right-wingers said support for keeping Benjamin Netanyahu in office is a defining feature of the right, though 38% on the center-left and 45% on the left associate the right with personal loyalty to him. Among right-wingers, the main self-defining pillars were opposition to a Palestinian state, support for the original judicial overhaul, and opposition to coalition cooperation with Arab parties.

When asked what most determines political camp membership, 26% pointed to the Israeli-Palestinian issue, down from 30% last year. Cultural and religious visions gained weight, at 22% and 13%. On social cohesion, 46% still saw the left-right divide as the main threat, down 10 points from last year, but the secular-religious divide rose to a three-year high of 32%, and 36% of Jews identified it as the main cohesion problem. JPPI CEO Dr. Shuki Friedman said the data show a “not healthy process” in public discourse and that many citizens feel they should keep their views “in the closet.”