A Walla pre-election poll on some of Israel’s most divisive issues found overwhelming support for compulsory military service for ultra-Orthodox young men. Asked whether they should be required to serve in the IDF, 72% said yes, 15% said no, and 13% were neutral.
The result comes as the ultra-Orthodox parties intensify pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On the same day, Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni and Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri said they want him to advance immediately the Basic Law of Torah Study and a law to stop arrests of Torah students. They warned that if they do not see “practical actions as required,” they would support dissolving the Knesset as soon as next week. Later, Degel HaTorah and Shas issued a joint statement saying there is no deal with Netanyahu and that their demand stands on its own, but if the laws are advanced in practice they could again back coalition legislation, בהתאם to the instructions of the “great rabbis.”
The poll also asked whether the IDF should keep fighting in Gaza until Hamas surrenders completely. A majority, 58%, supported that position, while 27% opposed it and 15% were neutral. This comes as Walla reported that IDF Southern Command has expanded operational control to about 70% of the Gaza Strip, and security officials believe the area under Israeli control may grow in the coming months.
The report said Hamas is believed to be stalling on implementing the agreement, entrenching itself on the ground, recruiting operatives, and preparing for renewed fighting with Israel. At the same time, Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor is managing three parallel efforts in Gaza, neutralizing threats along the “yellow line,” expanding operational control and defenses, and preparing for another campaign against Hamas, alongside shaping the Rafah area as part of the American plan for a “green city.”
Another poll question found strong support for civil marriage in Israel, with 67% in favor, 21% against, and 12% neutral. The article linked that result to disputes between religious and secular worldviews and to protests by Bnot Alternativa against religious courts, including a ribbon placed at the entrance to the rabbinical court in Tel Aviv. The group said the new law would force women into institutions that discriminate against them, while the article also cited a Supreme Court ruling in the Sima Amir case that religious courts cannot handle civil matters outside their jurisdiction.
