Lebanese Shiite Poll Shows Majority Support for Israel Deal, Criticism of Hezbollah

By ספיר ליפקין

Translated & summarized from N12 by baba

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Hebrew · 4 newsrooms covering

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A poll of Lebanon's Shiite community shows 63.3% support for an agreement with Israel and 66.4% favor transferring Hezbollah's weapons to the state. The survey also revealed that 67.4% believe Hezbollah failed to achieve its war aims at a high cost, with only 5.9% wanting the current leadership to remain. The Lebanese army received strong trust, while Hezbollah's institutions faced significant criticism.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

63.3% of Lebanese Shiites support an agreement with Israel, according to a new poll.
Two-thirds of Shiite respondents believe Hezbollah's weapons should be transferred to the Lebanese state.
67.4% of Shiites polled feel Hezbollah did not achieve its war objectives.
Only 5.9% of Shiite respondents want the current Hezbollah leadership to be strengthened.
78.5% of Shiites trust the Lebanese army, viewing it as key to long-term security.
A majority of Shiites believe war and peace decisions should be made by the Lebanese government.

A new poll conducted among Lebanon's Shiite community reveals significant support for an agreement with Israel, with 63.3% of respondents favoring some form of deal, including direct talks, mediation, or a comprehensive regional agreement. The survey, conducted by Statistics Lebanon in September among 800 Shiites regardless of political affiliation, also indicated widespread dissatisfaction with Hezbollah's performance and leadership.

Approximately two-thirds of those polled, 66.4%, believe Hezbollah's weapons should be transferred to the Lebanese state, contrasting with 29.6% who think the organization should retain its arms. Furthermore, 67.4% of respondents feel Hezbollah did not achieve its war objectives or only partially succeeded, deeming the cost of the conflict excessively high. Only 5.9% expressed a desire for the current Hezbollah leadership to be strengthened.

The poll also highlighted a strong preference for state institutions, with 78.5% trusting the Lebanese army, which over half view as the primary contributor to long-term security. In contrast, only 16.5% attribute this role to Hezbollah. A significant majority, 71.1%, believe decisions regarding war and peace should rest solely with the Lebanese government.

Criticism extended to Hezbollah's institutions, with 52% expressing distrust in its social and service-providing bodies, and 52.4% distrusting its media outlets. When asked about their preferred future Shiite leadership, 51.5% favored experienced political leaders, while only 5.9% supported the current Hezbollah leadership.

Regarding Hezbollah's future role, 34% envision it solely as a political party, and 9.4% as a political and social organization. A smaller percentage, 10.6%, desire it to remain an independent military force outside state control.