Israeli Opinion on War with Hezbollah

Note: We are presenting raw data. To analyze the data, we encourage users to read the entire study and the methodology used. Results and reliability can be affected by sample size, question wording, and question order. Context and timing may also influence responses, for example, if the survey is conducted during a war.

Does the security situation following the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon allow or not allow the return of residents to their homes in the north of the country? (Israel Democracy Institute, January 28-February 2, 2025)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Allows	48%	70%	51%
Does not allow	46%	27%	43%
DK	7%	3%	6%

Do you think that the current security situation permits or does not permit the majority of residents to return to towns in the north? (INSS, December 12–16, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Allows	38%	32%	37%
Does not allow	49%	41%	47%
DK	14%	24%	16%

To what extent do you support or oppose the recent ceasefire agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon? (INSS, December 12–16, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Support	48%	61%	50%
Neutral	20%	18%	20%
Oppose	27%	21%	23%
DK	5%	16%	8%

In your opinion, to what extent will the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon contribute to long-term security calm? (INSS, December 12–16, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Great deal/extent	21%	31%	23%
Small deal/extent	67%	38%	61%
DK	12%	31%	16%

Are you in favor or against the agreement reached with Lebanon? (Channel 12 News [Hebrew], November 26, 2024)

	Total
In Favor	37%
Against	32%
DK	31%

In your opinion, has the war with Hezbollah ended? (Channel 12 News [Hebrew], November 26, 2024)

	Total
Israel won	20%
No clear outcome	50%
Israel lost	19%
DK	11%

How long do you think the ceasefire with Hezbollah will last? (Channel 12 News [Hebrew], November 26, 2024)

	Total
Years	24%
A few months	28%
Will collapse shortly	30%
DK	18%

In the current situation, on what should Israel focus its efforts in Lebanon? (Israel Democracy Institute, October 28-November 3, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Achieving a diplomatic agreement	38%	88%	47%
Continuing the fight against Hezbollah	54%	7%	46%
DK	8%	6%	8%

In your estimation, how long will it be before the evacuated residents of northern Israel can return to their homes? (Israel Democracy Institute, October 28-November 3, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Up to a month	3%	19%	6%
1–3 months	16%	18%	17%
3–6 months	23%	18%	22%
6 months to a year	27%	21%	26%
A year or more	14%	11%	14%
DK	16%	14%	16%

Who should have military control of South Lebanon after the war? (Israel Democracy Institute, October 28-November 3, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Israel, on a permanent basis	31%	4%	26%
A multinational military force	38%	19%	35%
The Lebanese army	21%	55%	27%
A weakened Hezbollah	1%	6%	2%
DK	10%	16%	11%

Are you satisfied with the operational achievements in Lebanon so far? (INSS, October 10-13, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Satisfied	7%	41%	13%
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied	21%	18%	20%
Dissatisfied	69%	18%	59%
DK	4%	24%	8%

In your opinion, will the IDF win the war on the northern border? (INSS, October 10-13, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Certain/Think they will win	84%	33%	34%
Certain/Think they will not win	8%	33%	14%
DK	8%	34%	14%

At the start of the ground invasion, the IDF spokesman announced that the IDF had started a focused and smart ground operation in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah targets and terror infrastructure. Which of these statements more closely represents your view? (INSS, October 10-13, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Israel must continue and if necessary extend the ground operation until Hezbollah lays down its arms.	59%	14%	50%
Israel must complete the focused ground operation as soon as possible	30%	22%	28%
Don't agree with either statement	5%	38%	11%
DK	7%	28%	11%

In your opinion, was it correct or not correct for Israel to launch its in-depth offensive against Hezbollah last week while the war in Gaza has not yet finished and the hostage issue has not been solved? (Israel Democracy Institute, September 26-29, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Was correct	90%	30%	80%
Was not correct	5%	47%	12%
DK	5%	23%	9%

What do you think Israel should do now on the northern front? (Israel Democracy Institute, September 26-29, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Continue its long-range aerial offensive but refrain from hitting Lebanon’s infrastructure	26%	9%	23%
Increase the intensity of its long-range aerial offensive to include hitting infrastructure	52%	9%	45%
Seek a diplomatic agreement and the withdrawal of Hezbollah forces from South Lebanon	18%	56%	24%
DK	4%	27%	9%

Do you support or oppose a ground invasion by IDF forces into South Lebanon in the event that the long-range aerial offensive does not lead to Hezbollah ceasing its fire? (Israel Democracy Institute, September 26-29, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Support	47%	15%	42%
Oppose	41%	60%	44%

In your estimation, will dealing a heavy blow to Hezbollah force it to renege on its declaration that it will continue firing on Israel until the end of the war in Gaza? (Israel Democracy Institute, September 26-29, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
It will	58%	23%	52%
It will not	31%	45%	33%
DK	11%	33%	15%

Would the IDF / Israel’s civilian population be able or not able to withstand an extended war on two or more fronts? (Israel Democracy Institute, September 26-29, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
The IDF would be able to withstand an extended war	87%	27%	77%
Israel’s civilian population would be able to withstand an extended war	79%	27%	71%

In light of the escalation on the northern front, to what extent are you worried or not worried about the lives and health of you or your loved ones? (Israel Democracy Institute, September 26-29, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Worried	43%	17%	39%
Not worried	57%	83%	61%

Which of the following two options will better ensure the security of the towns in the north of Israel and enable all of the evacuated residents to return to their homes: destroying Hezbollah’s military capabilities and pushing it north of the Litani River; or a diplomatic agreement secured with international mediation that will remove Hezbollah from the border with Israel? (Israel Democracy Institute, September 26-29, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Destroying Hezbollah’s military capabilities	72%	16%	62%
A diplomatic agreement	21%	60%	28%
DK	8%	24%	10%

Some people argue that the extensive and continued evacuation of residents of the north has turned out to be a mistake. Do you agree or disagree with this claim? (Israel Democracy Institute, September 15-19, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Agree	41%	47%	42%
Disagree	44%	37%	43%
DK	15%	16%	15%

If a war breaks out on the northern border, do you think the IDF will win? (INSS, September 2024

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Will win	75%	25%	65%
Will not/not sure	13%	43%	19%
DK	12%	32%	16%

To what extent you think that a decision to extend the fighting in the north into a broader war will be based on practical considerations rather than political considerations? (INSS, September 2024

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Very much/a lot	50%	21%	44%
A little/very little	44%	51%	45%
DK	6%	28%	11%

(INSS, September 2024

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Will win	75%	25%	65%
Will not/not sure	13%	43%	19%
DK	12%	32%	16%

What do you think Israel’s response should be given Hezbollah attacks? (INSS, August 8-11, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Israel should respond in limited fashion to any attack and avoid escalating the situation toward total war	17%	36%	21%
Israel should initiate limited military action against Hezbollah	26%	11%	23%
Israel should initiate wide-scale military action even at the risk of igniting a regional war	25%	6%	21%
Israel should initiate wide-scale military action, even at the risk of igniting a regional war, and should conquer and hold land in southern Lebanon	27%	8%	23%
DK	5%	39%	12%

What effect do you think the elimination of Ismail Haniyeh and Fuad Shukr has had on Israel’s general security? (INSS, August 8-11, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Improved	44%	15%	38%
Neither improved nor worsened	34%	21%	32%
Worsened	15%	43%	20%
DK	7%	33%	10%

What do you think Israel should do now on the northern front? (Israel Democracy Institute, July 30-August 4, 2024)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Respond more aggressively to Hezbollah, but refrain from striking at Lebanon’s infrastructure	27%	14%	25%
Launch an assault deep into Lebanon that includes striking at its infrastructure	48%	12%	42%
Continue the fighting in the current format of focusing on Hezbollah forces	12%	17%	12%
DK	14%	57%	21%

Do you think Israel should launch an attack on Hezbollah or strive for a political settlement in Lebanon? [Jewish Israelis] (JPPI, July 2024)

Attack Hezbollah with full force as soon as possible	35%
Finish the operation in Gaza and then attack Hezbollah with full force	21%
Strive for a diplomatic settlement in Lebanon without expanding the war	37%
DK	8%

Of the following options, which is closest to your position? [Jewish Israelis] (JPPI, July 2024)

President Biden strongly supported Israel at the beginning of the war and still strongly supports it today	34%
President Biden strongly supported Israel at the beginning of the war but supports it less today	36%
President Biden strongly supported Israel at the beginning of the war but does not support it today	13%
President Biden did not support Israel that much, even at the beginning of the war	16%

In view of what is happening on the northern border, should Israel now start a war with Hezbollah? (Maariv, June 5-6, 2024)

Yes	62%
No	18%
DK	20%

In recent weeks, Hezbollah has fired on northern Israel. With which of the following two statements do you agree most? (Viterbi Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute, December 2023)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	Total
Israel should make every effort to avoid opening up another front, with Hezbollah in the north	30%	53%	34%
Israel should deal Hezbollah a heavy blow now, even at the cost of opening up another front in the north	57%	20%	51%
Don’t know/Refuse to answer	13%	27%	15%

What, in your opinion, are the chances that in the coming year a war will break out between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon?

(The Peace Index, June 2017)

	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs	General Public
Very low chances	10.9%	31.4%	14.3%
Moderately low chances	41.0%	36.4%	40.2%
Moderately high chances	30.3%	17.1%	28.1%
Very high chances	8.0%	6.4%	7.7%
Don’t know/decline to answer	9.9%	8.7%	9.7%

Do you think Israel emerged stronger from the war? (Peace Index, July 30-August 1, 2007)

Yes	42%
Status has not changed	27%
Israel’s regional military status as weaker	25%

Do you think Hezbollah emerged stronger from the war? (Peace Index, July 30-August 1, 2007)

Yes	44%
Status has not changed	28%
Hezbollah’s status is weaker	19%

Do you view the campaign in Lebanon as justified or unjustified? (Peace Index; April 30-May 1, 2007)

	April 2007	July 2006
Justified	57%	93%
Unjustified	38%	5%
Don’t Know/No clear opinion	5%	2%

Have you or one of your family members or close friends served in the war? (Peace Index, April 30-May 1, 2007)

Yes

60%

Do you think the assessment of the situation in the run-up to the Lebanon War was adequate or inadequate? (Dahaf Institute, January 2, 2007)

Adequate	20%
Inadequate	80%

If in the end Hezbollah takes over the Lebanese Government, should Israel launch a preemptive war against the Lebanese Government headed by Hezbollah? (Israel Radio’s “Its all Talk,” December 6, 2006 )

Yes	38.4%
No	53.4%
Other	8.3%

Do you support or oppose establishing a state investigatory committee headed by a Supreme Court justice to check the performance of the government in the war in Lebanon? (Maagar Mochot, August 29, 2006)

Support	64%
Oppose	18%
Other	18%

Do you support or oppose the Admoni Committee to check the performance of the government in the war in Lebanon?(Maagar Mochot, August 29, 2006)

Support	46%
Oppose	26%
Other	26%

What do you think of the protests of the reserve soldiers? (Yediot Ahronot, August 25, 2006)

Correct move	69%
Wrong	25%

How best should the events of the war be investigated? (Yediot Ahronot, August 25, 2006)

Professional commission	57%
State commission	30%
No need	12%

How should the government carry out an investigation of the war in Lebanon? (Israel Radio’s “Its all Talk,” August 23, 2006)

State commission	16.7%
State-judicial commission (results have legal standing	57.8%
Other/don’t know	9.3%
Oppose all investigatory commissions	16.3%

Should a state investigatory commission be established to investigate the management by the state and army? (Yediot Ahronot, August 16, 2006)

Yes	69%
No	28%

Should Israel have agreed to the cease-fire without the return of the soldiers taken hostage? (Yediot Ahronot, August 16, 2006)

Yes	27%
No	70%

Who won the war?

	Maariv, August 15, 2006	Israel Radio’s “Another Matter,” August 16, 2006	Yediot Ahronot, August 16, 2006
Hezbollah	15%	24%	30%
Israel	18%	28%	30%
Neither	66%	36%	36%

Should Israel have agreed to the cease-fire? (Maariv, August 15, 2006)

Yes	42%
No	53%

Will Israel’s situation vis-a-vis Hezbollah change? (Maariv, August 15, 2006)

Improve	36%
Worsen	27%
No change	33%

Should the IDF have entered on the ground in Southern Lebanon? (Maariv, August 15, 2006)

Yes	62%
No	32%

Should Israel kill Nasrallah, even at the cost of renewing the fighting? (Maariv, August 15, 2006)

Yes	67%
No	28%

Should an state investigatory commission be appointed to investigate the management of the war?

	Israel Radio’s “Another Matter,” August 16, 2006	Maariv, August 15, 2006
Yes	67%	67%
No	25%	28%

What do you believe the final result of the war will be? (Dahaf, August 10, 2006)

Israel will cripple Hezbollah	37%
Israel will lose the war and Hezbollah will return to south Lebanon	17%
Don’t Know	46%

Do you support or oppose a broad Israeli ground operation to push Hezbollah guerrillas beyond the range of short-range rockets? (Dahaf, August 10, 2006)

Support	64%
Oppose	36%

Do you approve or disapprove of Olmert’s actions? (Dahaf, August 10, 2006)

Approve	66%
Disapprove	34%

Do you favor or oppose continuing the fighting until the goals that were set are achieved? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Favor	79%
Oppose	16.5%
Don’t Know	4.5%

Do you believe the government has clear goals for the operation in Lebanon? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Yes	57%
No	34%
Don’t Know	9%

Do you believe the air force attacks in Lebanon are justified or unjustified, even if they cause infrastructure destruction and suffering to the Lebanese civilian population? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Justified	91%
Unjustified	9%

How do you assess the IDF’s combat capability? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Good	87%
Bad	9%
Don’t Know	4%

Do you view the IDF’s reports from the Lebanese battlefield as credible or unreliable? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Credible	78%
Unreliable	19%
Don’t Know	3%

How do you asses Hezbollah’s fighting capability? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Good	74%
Poor	17%
Don’t Know	9%

Do you view Hezbollah’s accounts as reliable or unreliable? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Reliable	12%
Unreliable	82%
Don’t Know	6%

Do you think Hezbollah opened the front in the north to help the Palestinians in their struggle against Israel? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Yes	9.5%
No, to serve their own interests and those of Syria and Iran	81.5%
Don’t Know	9%

Do you support or oppose the stationing of an International force in Southern Lebanon to separate the sides and stop the fighting between them-as done? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Support	71%
Oppose	21%
Don’t Know	8%

Do you see Israeli society as standing up well or poor so far under the burden of the campaign? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Well	88%
Poor	9%
Don’t Know	3%

How do you assess the current national morale as good or bad? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Good	55%
Bad	41%
Don’t Know	4%

How do you assess your sense of personal and family security? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Safe	65%
Unsafe	33%
Don’t Know	2%

Do you support or oppose the public’s right to protest the war while the cannons are firing? (Peace Index; July 31- August 1, 2006)

Support	47%
Oppose	50%
Don’t Know	3%

What do you think is a solution to the crisis in the North? (Teleseker for Maariv, July 21, 2006)

Continue fighting until Hezbollah is distanced from the border and only then negotiate a ceasefire and the return of the hostages	90%
Stop the fighting now and enter into negotiations for the release of the hostages	8%
Don’t Know	2%

What is your opinion regarding the response of Israel and the IDF against Hezbollah in Lebanon? (Teleseker for Maariv, July 21, 2006)

Correct and justified	95%
Incorrect and not justified	4%
Don’t Know	1%

Are you satisfied with the performance of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert? (Teleseker for Maariv, July 21, 2006)

Yes	78%
No	20%
Don’t Know	2%

Are you for or against Ehud Olmert’s convergence plan? [AL: aka "consolidation plan", retreat from most of the West Bank] ? (Maagar Mohot Survey Institute)

	7/16/06	7/19/06
For	19%	28%
Against	52%	50%
Don’t know	29%	22%

Do you support the way that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been handling the war? (Maagar Mohot Survey Institute, July 19, 2006)

Support	71%
Oppose	21%
Don’t Know	8%

To what extent are you satisfied with the general performance of the IDF in the current war? (Maagar Mohot Survey Institute, July 19, 2006)

Very unsatisfied	8%
Somewhat Unsatisfied	9%
Middle (So-so)	17%
Satisfied	16%
Very satisfied	41%
Don’t know/other replies	9%

How much time do you think that the Israeli (civilian) front can bear the attacks and its damages? (Maagar Mohot Survey Institute, July 19, 2006)

Unlimited - as much time as needed	43%
A few months	27%
A few weeks	17%
A few days	1%
Don’t know/other replies	12%

Are you for or against the entry of IDF ground forces into Southern Lebanon? (Maagar Mohot Survey Institute, July 19, 2006)

Special forces only	43%
Large forces	11%
Oppose entry of any kind of forces	27%
Don’t know/other replies	19%

Do you believe that fighting should continue with Hezbollah? (Dahaf Institute for Yedioth Ahronoth, July 18, 2006)

Yes, until Hezbollah is completely eradicated	58%
Yes, until Hezbollah pulls back from the border	23%
No, stop fighting and start negotiating	17%
Don’t Know	2%

What is your opinion with the performance of Prime Minister Ehud Olmer to his response to the fighting in the north? (Dahaf Institute for Yedioth Ahronoth, July 18, 2006)

Satisfied	78%
Unsatisfied or Don’t Know	22%

What are your opinions of Amir Peretz, the Defense minister’s performance? (Dahaf Institute for Yedioth Ahronoth, July 18, 2006)

Satisfied	72%
Unsatisfied or Don’t Know	28%

What about whether or not the military operation is justified? (Dahaf Institute for Yedioth Ahronoth, July 18, 2006)

It is the correct path of action	86%
It is a mistake	14%

What are your opinions of the IDF’s performance in the war? (Dahaf Institute for Yedioth Ahronoth, July 18, 2006)

Very good	62%
Fairly good	25%
Fairly bad	5%
Very bad	4%
Don’t Know	4%