Poll Shows Public Trusts Netanyahu Over Lapid on Security Warnings

A new poll conducted by Channel 14 indicates that a majority of Israelis have more confidence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than in Opposition Leader Yair Lapid regarding security warnings that preceded an attempted attack on a Flydubai plane. The survey found that 53% of respondents believe Netanyahu on the issue, while only 40% trust Lapid's version. The poll directly asked respondents, "Who do you believe more on the issue of security warnings that preceded the Flydubai plane incident?"

The results reveal a significant 13% gap favoring the Prime Minister. The remaining 7% of those surveyed stated they had no opinion. This public sentiment appears to reflect a clear decision in the recent political debate between the ruling coalition and the opposition concerning the incident.

Netanyahu had previously warned of potential attacks by enemies and the "axis of terror" ahead of elections. Conversely, the opposition, led by Lapid, strongly criticized these warnings, suggesting they were politically motivated. The poll's findings suggest that most Israelis view Netanyahu as a more credible authority on significant security matters compared to Lapid.

These results align with other data released by Channel 14, which also showed broad support for the government's stance. A separate question revealed that 59% of respondents believed Netanyahu was correct in his warnings about pre-election attacks, and 58% felt the opposition's attacks stemmed from political considerations rather than substantive criticism. The poll indicates that attempts to undermine the Prime Minister's information credibility have met with public distrust of the opposition's positions.