Israeli Public Opinion Polls: Attitudes Toward Democracy in Israel
(2003 - 2023)
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
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% |
How do you feel about the state of democratic governance in Israel in the foreseeable future? (Israel Democracy Index, November 2022, August 2023)
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |||
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Jews | Arabs | Total | |
| Optimistic | 32% | 36% | 45% | 40% |
39%
|
15%
|
36%
|
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
|
Download our mobile app for on-the-go access to the Jewish Virtual Library
