Israeli Opinion of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Benjamin Netanyahu is handling his job as leader? (% Approve) (Gallup, 2017)

2018	51%
2017	52%
2016	49%
2015	32%
2014	49%
2013	39%
2012	35%
2011	55%
2010	49%
2009	50%

Benjamin Netanyahu's Approval Ratings throughout Operation Protective Edge.(Shiluv Milward Brown, August 2014)

	July 23 2014 (Start of Ground Operation)	August 5 2014	August 21 2014	August 25 2014
Netanyahu's approval rating throughout Operation Protective Edge.	82%	63%	55%	38%

Which of the following is most suitable/appropriate to be the prime minister of Israel?

	New Wave (May 2012)	Dialogue/Haaretz (July 2013)
Bibi Netanyahu	39.8%	56%
Shelley Yachimovich	11.3%	15%
Yair Lapid	7.2%	7%
Shaul Mofaz	4.5%	--
Avigdor Lieberman	4.2%	--
Don't know	28%	22%

Do you believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu is committed to the two-state solution?
(Dialogue/Haaretz, July 26, 2013)

Yes, Committed	34%
No, Not Committed	59%
Don't know	7%

Are you satisfied or not satisfied with the performance of Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister?
(Dialogue/Haaretz, July 26, 2013)

Satisfied	45%
Not Satisfied	45%
Don't know	10%

Was Netanyahu and Mofaz's move to establish a national unity government justified in terms of the interest of the State?
(TNS for Maariv, May 8, 2012)

Justified	50.9%
Unjustified	34.8%
Don't know	14.3%

Which candidate is most suited to hold the job of Prime Minister?
(Ha'aretz, May 3, 2012)

Bibi Netanyahu	48%
Shelly Yacimovich	15%
Avigdor Lieberman	9%
Shaul Mofaz	6%

Is Prime Minister Netanyahu a "messianic" who can't be trusted to deal wisely with the Iranian nuclear issue?
(Ha'aretz, May 3, 2012)

Agree	25%
Disagree	51%

To what extent are Netanyahu government policies benefiting or damaging Israel's national interests in each of the following areas?
(Peace Index, January 31, 2012)

1. Israel's standing in the international arena

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
Very Damaging	19.9%	14.4%	20.0%
Somewhat Damaging	12.1%	12.7%	8.9%
In the Middle	31.9%	34.4%	17.8%
Somewhat Beneficial	19.4%	20.8%	11.1%
Very Beneficial	13.6%	14.0%	11.1%
No Opinion	3.1%	3.6%

2. Israel's security situation

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
Very Damaging	9.5%	4.3%	38.9%
Somewhat Damaging	9.7%	7.3%	23.3%
In the Middle	22.8%	25.4%	7.8%
Somewhat Beneficial	32.3%	37.2%	4.4%
Very Beneficial	23.8%	23.5%	25.6%
No Opinion	1.8%	2.2%

Recently Germany, France, Portugal, and Britain condemned the Israeli government’s decision to renew construction in the territories as well as Israel's inability to prevent price-tag actions. Foreign Minister Lieberman reacted sharply, saying the condemnation made those countries “irrelevant” to the process of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In contrast, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that these are friendly countries, and that “in dealing with them, we not only have to be right but also smart.” With which of these two positions do you tend to agree more? (Peace Index, December 28, 2011)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
with Avigdor Lieberman's position	31.9%	36.0%	8.9%
With Ehud Barak's position	55.7%	56.4%	52.2%
Don't know/refuse to answer	12.3%	7.7%	38.9

How do you evaluate the performance of Avigdor (Yvet) Lieberman as foreign minister? (Peace Index, December 28, 2011)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
Very good	9.7%	11.2%	1.1%
Moderately good	32.8%	37.2%	7.8%
Moderately bad	24.3%	21.8%	38.9%
Very bad	25.1%	21.3%	46.7%
Don't know/refuse to answer	8.0%	8.5%	5.5%

And the performance of Ehud Barak as defense minister? (Peace Index, December 28, 2011)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
Very good	12.0%	13.9%	1.1%
Moderately good	39.2%	43.7%	13.3%
Moderately bad	24.8%	23.5%	32.2%
Very bad	16.1%	10.9%	45.6%
Don't know/refuse to answer	8.0%	8.0%	7.8%

Percentage who gave a good grade for the performance of: (Dahaf Poll, September 28, 2011)

	adult Israelis (including Arab Israelis)
Prime Minister Netanyahu	54%
Foreign Minister Liberman	45%
Finance Minister Steinmentz	37%
Defense Minister Barak	37%

67% say the PM himself doesn't believe peace can be reached with the Palestinians.

Grade for Netanyahu's UN speech: (Dahaf Poll, September 28, 2011)

	adult Israelis (including Arab Israelis)
Good	76%
Bad	8%

It emerged from Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech to the Knesset that Israel will insist on retaining the large settlement blocs in the West Bank and would be prepared to evacuate the rest of the settlements in the West Bank and Jordan Valley. What is your view of Netanyahu's position on this matter? (Peace Index, May 2011)

	General Public	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs
This position is not sufficient to advance the peace process	23.6%	17.0%	61.0%
The position is appropriate	31.8%	33.1%	24.5%
The position is too conciliatory and dangerous to Israel	36.5%	41.3%	8.9%
Don't know/Refused to answer	8.0%	8.5%	5.6%

Did Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's latest visit to the United States, including his meeting with President Obama and his speeches to the AIPAC convention and to the U.S. Congress, contribute to or damage Israel's interests from the following standpoints? (Peace Index, May 2011)

The relations between the two leaders:

	General Public	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs
Contributed	44.1%	42.7%	52.2%
Damaged	21.6%	17.7%	43.3%
Did not change	26.8%	31.6%
Don't know/Refused to answer	7.4%	8.0%	4.4%

U.S. support for Israeli policy:

	General Public	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs
Contributed	55.9%	53.8%	67.8%
Damaged	13.9%	11.2%	28.9%
Did not change	21.9%	25.7%	-
Don't know/Refused to answer	8.4%	9.3%	3.3%

The changes of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians:

	General Public	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs
Contributed	22.6%	20.6%	34.4%
Damaged	29.1%	23.8%	58.9%
Did not change	38.1%	44.7%	-
Don't know/Refused to answer	10.2%	10.8%	6.7%

The possibility that the Palestinians will give up their plan to declare an independent state in September:

	General Public	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs
Contributed	17.9%	17.5%	20.0%
Damaged	34.3%	27.8%	71.1%
Did not change	38.3%	45.1%	-
Don't know/Refused to answer	9.5%	9.6%	8.9%

The chances that the Palestinians will have a majority in the UN if they unilaterally declare a state and request UN recognition for it:

	General Public	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs
Contributed	29.6%	29.3%	31.1%
Damaged	25.7%	20.5%	55.6%
Did not change	32.2%	37.8%	-
Don't know/Refused to answer	12.5%	12.3%	13.3%

How would you describe the position that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu presented during his recent visit to the United States? (Peace Index, May 2011)

	General Public	Israeli Jews	Israeli Arabs
Too tough	28.8%	20.9%	73.3%
Balanced	55.0%	61.4%	18.9%
Too soft	7.8%	9.0%	1.1%
Don't know/Refused to answer	8.4%	8.7%	6.7%

Do you support or oppose a deal according to which hundreds of terrorists would be released in exchange for Gilad Shalit? (Dahaf, May 2011)

Support	58%
Oppose	29%

Is the Netanyahu Government doing enough to bring about the release of Gilad Shalit? (Dahaf, May 2011)

Yes	18%
No	66%

Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with Prime Minister Netanyahu's performance? (Pechter Middle East Polls, June 2010)*

Satisfied	53%
Dissatisfied	40%

Are you satisfied with how Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has handled matters relating to Arab-Israeli affairs since coming into office? (Maagar Mohot, January 2010)*

Satisfied	29%
Not satisfied	60%
Other replies/don't know	11%

Which of the following do you think are Binyamin Netanyahu's true intentions in his decision to freeze construction in Judea and Samaria? (Maagar Mohot, January 2010)*

The freeze is the first step to evacuation of communities in Judea and Samaria	24%
The freeze is only a tactical move so that after 10 months it is possible to renew settlement construction in Judea and Samaria despite international pressure	64%
Other replies/don't know	12%

Which of the following do you think were Binyamin Netanyahu's true intentions when he said that he is prepared to negotiate with Syria without preconditions? (Maagar Mohot, January 2010)*

That Netanyahu is willing to withdraw from the Golan within the framework of an agreement with Syria	19%
That Netanyahu doesn't really have any intention to withdraw from the Golan Heights but it is important to him to appear as someone who, in any case, engages in peace talks	75%
Other replies/don't know	6%

Which of the following do you think were Binyamin Netanyahu's true intentions when in his Bar Ilan University address he called for the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state, while emphasizing that international agreements and international forces cannot really ensure that such a Palestinian state would be demilitarized? (Maagar Mohot, January 2010)*

That Netanyahu accepts the idea of an independent Palestinian state	27%
That Netanyahu understands that it is impossible to guarantee that an independent Palestinian state would be demilitarized	57%
Other replies/don't know	10%

Will Binyamin Netanyahu's decision to impose the freeze increase or reduce pressure on Israel to make additional concessions? (Maagar Mohot, December 2009)*

Reduce	22%
Increase	56%
No effect on the pressure	17%
Other replies/don't know	5%

Do you think the freeze will actually last only ten months or will Netanyahu continue the freeze indefinitely? (Maagar Mohot, December 2009)*

Just ten months	33%
Continue indefinitely	40%
Other replies/don't know	27%

*Survey of Israeli Jews

Israeli Public Opinion Polls: Opinion of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

(August 2014)