Polls Show Opposition Losing Ground as Voters Unmoved by Oct. 7 Blame Game
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
A new poll indicates the Israeli opposition is losing support by focusing on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's alleged failures before the October 7th attack. Most Israelis believe the security lapse would have happened under any government, and many think Netanyahu's rivals would have performed similarly or better in the war. This public sentiment explains the opposition's recent decline and Netanyahu's campaign shift.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A poll shows most Israelis believe the October 7th security failures would have occurred under any government.
- Only 25% of the public believes Netanyahu's rivals would have achieved lesser results in the war.
- The opposition's focus on Netanyahu's alleged failures before October 7th is causing them to lose support.
- Voters attribute war successes more to the IDF than to the current government.
- The public sees major national events as having limited leader control, undermining blame campaigns.
Recent polling data suggests that the Israeli opposition's strategy of focusing on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's alleged failures leading up to the October 7th Hamas attack is backfiring, causing them to lose public support. A Kantar Institute poll revealed that a majority of Israelis, 42% compared to 28%, believe the security failures would have occurred even under a different government, such as the "change government." This sentiment is shared by a third of those leaning towards the opposition, indicating that many undecided voters likely hold this view.
Furthermore, only 25% of the public believes Netanyahu's rivals would have achieved lesser results in the subsequent war, with 56% convinced they would have achieved the same or better outcomes. These findings are described as dramatic and explain the opposition's recent decline in support, particularly their focus on alleged warnings given to Netanyahu before October 7th. The data also explains Netanyahu's shift in campaign messaging from "We Will Not Surrender" to "Right or Palestine."
The article posits that the public does not attribute the war's successes primarily to the current government, but rather to the performance of the IDF. Voters appear to perceive both the October 7th massacre and the subsequent "Swords of Iron" war as events where leaders have limited control over their management. This perspective suggests that the opposition's attempts to hold Netanyahu solely responsible for the failures are not resonating with the electorate, leading to a strategic misstep in their campaign efforts.
