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Israeli Public Opinion Polls: Attitudes Toward Democracy in Israel

(2003 - Present)

Note: We are presenting raw data. When available, we provide some or all of the crosstabs (i.e., breakdowns by various categories such as party ID). To analyze the data, we encourage users to read the entire study and the methodology used. Results and reliability can be affected by such things as sample size, question wording, and question order. Responses may also be influenced by context and timing; for example, if the survey is conducted during a war.


See also  Israeli Views on Society & Government
Israeli Opinion Regarding Elections, Prime Minister
Political Corruption

How do you feel about the state of democratic governance in Israel in the foreseeable future? (Israel Democracy Institute, November 2022December 2023February 28-March 4, 2024)

  2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Optimistic 32% 36% 45% 40%
43%
41%

How do you feel about the future of national security? (Israel Democracy Institute, February 28-March 4, 2024)

  2022 2023 2024
Optimistic 43%
40%
38%

How would you define Israel’s situation today in terms of its international standing? (Israel Democracy Institute, February 28-March 4, 2024)

  Israeli Jews Israeli Arabs Total
Not good 44% 63% 47%
So-so 33% 17% 31%
Good 22% 17% 21%

Think that the State of Israel is successfully ensuring the security of its citizens (Israel Democracy Institute, November 2022December 2023January 28–30, 2024)

  2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Successful 64% 76% 57% 40%
38%
39%

Some Western world leaders, including US President Biden and French President Macron, have expressed concern over the Judicial Reform being promoted by the Israeli government. To what extent do Israel’s future relations with its Western partners affect your support of or opposition to the reform? (Mitvim Foreign Policy Index, July 2023)

  Total
  2023

To a great/very great extent

45%

To a small extent, barely, or not at all

40%
DK 15%

Do you support or oppose protest activities against the judicial reforms being advanced by the government? (total sample; %) (Israel Democracy Index, August 2023)

  2023
Support

52%

Oppose 38%
DK 10%

Agree that, in order to bridge divisions between the political camps, discussions should be held over legislative proposals and attempts made to reach compromises (total sample; %) (Israel Democracy Index, August 2023)

  November 2022 January 2023 February 2023 March 2023 April 2023 August 2023
Agree 67% 64% 71% 70%
70%
73%

The Supreme Court will soon discuss a petition demanding that the minister of justice be required to convene the Judicial Selection Committee. If the Court instructs the minister to convene the Committee, what should the minister of justice do? (total sample; %) (total sample; %) (Israel Democracy Index, August 2023)

  2023
Act in accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling

54%

Continue to refuse to convene the committee 21%
DK 23%

How do you think the Supreme Court should rule on the petition to strike down the law restricting the use of the reasonableness doctrine? (total sample; %) (Israel Democracy Index, August 2023)

  2023
The court should accept the petition because the legislative process in the Knesset was faulty or incomplete

9%

The court should accept the petition and revoke the law, because restricting the use of the reasonableness doctrine harms the democratic character of the state. 25%
The court should reject the petition and leave the law as it is because restricting the use of the reasonableness doctrine does not harm the democratic character of the state. 14%
This is a Basic Law, and the Court is not empowered to discuss basic laws passed by the Knesset. 23%
DK 29%

In all countries, there are differences or conflicts between different social groups. In your opinion, are the conflicts very strong, strong, not very strong or are there no conflicts at all between…?  [% strong conflicts]  (Pew, March 15-April 24, 2023)

  2022

2023

People who support different political parties 83%

57%

People who are religious and people who are not religious  

61%

Arab Israelis and Jewish Israelis  

71%

 People on the political left and people on the political right  

75%

Trust in Israeli Institutions ... (Israel Democracy Index 2012 (May 2013, May 2023 -General Public)

 
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2012
2023
Army/IDF
91.8
90.5
87.3
86.8
91.6
91.0
 
Supreme Court
83.6
76.3
77.0
68.5
81.7
86.7
63.9
Police
85.0
80.3
67.3
65.3
77.9
82.2
 
Knesset
79.9
57.5
65.4
67.0
79.0
78.8
64.8
Government
80.0
72.9
60.4
66.4
76.6
79.3
53.8
Media/Press
71.8
75.3
72.0
68.5
74.5
72.4
 
Political Parties
65.7
49.2
53.1
59.5
68.3
64.6
 
Your municipality or local authority             79.7

How much do you trust the following institutions? (INSS, National Security Index 2018-19)

 

Israeli Jews

IDF

88%

Mossad

88%

Israel Security Agency (GSS)

80%

Police

60%

Based on your understanding of "Zionism," how would you characterize the State of Israel today? (Israel Democracy Index 2012 (May 2013)

  Jews Arabs Total
Very Zionist
11.7
33.5
15.5
Quite Zionist
44.6
35.1
43.0
Not so Zionist
33.5
11.5
29.7
Not at all Zionist
7.7
7.3
7.6
DN/NA
2.5
12.6
4.2

Is the State of Israel today democratic in the right measure, too democratic, or not democratic enough? (Israel Democracy Index 2012 (May 2013)

 
2003
2004
2005
2006
2009
2010
2011
2012
Much too democratic
4.9
9.6
8.1
4.6
7.2
6.8
7.6
8.0
Too democratic
15.5
16.2
15.3
12.5
18.7
20.3
16.8
16.0
Democratic in the right measure
46.2
29.7
39.4
36.5
32.8
34.0
34.1
42.4
Not democratic enough
25.5
34.2
29.0
34.1
27.3
29.0
27.5
26.6
Definitely not democratic enough
7.3
8.7
7.2
11.5
10.4
6.6
11.8
4.7
DN/NA
0.6
1.6
1.0
0.8
3.6
3.2
2.2
2.3

Israel is defined as both a Jewish and Democratic state. Which is more important to you? (Israel Democracy Index 2012 (May 2013)

 
2010
2011
2012
Jewish
32.4
29.5
34.3
Democratic
17.0
22.9
21.8
Equally Important
48.1
46.1
41.9
Neither Important
1.7
1.0
0.5
DN/NA
0.8
0.5
1.5

Do you agree or disagree that Arab Israelis are discriminated against as compared with Jewish citizens? (Israel Democracy Index 2012 (May 2013)

 
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2011
2012
Disagree totally
27.4
23.8
21.9
27.4
20.8
27.3
36.0
29.8
30.9
Disagree somewhat
17.1
10.8
21.7
18.1
22.4
19.7
20.3
17.2
21.2
Agree somewhat
30.2
30.6
26.0
25.0
24.9
24.4
17.7
27.0
25.1
Agree strongly
24.9
32.3
29.2
28.3
27.9
25.6
22.6
22.7
19.5
DN/NA
0.4
2.5
1.2
1.2
4.0
3.0
3.4
3.3
3.3

Speakers should be prohibited from harshly criticizing the State of Israel in public ...(Israel Democracy Index 2012 (May 2013)

 
2007
2008
2009
2011
2012
Disagree totally
19.5
15.8
23.0
22.4
32.4
Disagree somewhat
24.4
24.7
18.0
23.6
15.1
Agree somewhat
21.8
21.5
19.3
23.3
19.8
Agree strongly
12.0
12.4
35.4
27.5
28.8
DN/NA
3.8
5.8
4.3
3.2
3.9

It is never acceptable, under any circumstances, to employ violence for political ends ... (Israel Democracy Index 2012 (May 2013)

 
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2012
Disagree totally
7.3
12.6
9.5
13.2
18.1
7.5
Disagree somewhat
10.3
8.5
13.0
12.5
12.3
3.8
Agree somewhat
25.1
17.5
22.0
14.2
14.8
10.9
Agree strongly
56.7
63.3
49.4
56.8
53.6
76.6
DN/NA
0.6
1.1
3.1
3.3
1.2
1.2