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Operation Protective Edge: Israeli Public Opinion Polls

(Updated August 21, 2014)

In your opinion, was the launching of Operation Protective Edge justified?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
Very justified
79.6%
17.3%
69.2%
Moderately justified
12.1%
6.4%
11.1%
Not very justified
4.5%
19.7%
7.0%
Not at all justified
2.6%
42.4%
9.3%
Don't know/decline to answer
1.2%
14.2%
3.3%

How would you characterize the use so far of the IDF's firepower in Gaza?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
Appropriate use
47.9%
2.7%
40.3%
Too much use of firepower
5.9%
62.1%
15.3%
Too little use of firepower
44.9%
10.2%
39.1%
Don't know/decline to answer
1.4%
25.0%
5.3%

How would you now rank your feeling about the result of Operation Protective Edge so far on a scale of 1 (very disappointed) to 5 (very satisfied)?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
1
14.0%
60.5%
21.7%
2
12.8%
3.5%
11.3%
3
41.0%
17.6%
37.1
4
22.9%
3.8%
19.7%
5
9.0%
3.9%
8.2%
Don't know/decline to answer
0.4%
10.8%
2.1%

In your opinion did the government have or not have clear goals before launching Operation Protective Edge in Gaza?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
Very clear goals
14.2%
21.6%
15.4%
Moderately clear goals
36.5%
8.3%
31.8%
Goals were not completely clear
37.0%
11.0%
32.7
No clear goals at all
9.7%
42.1%
15.1%
Don't know/decline to answer
2.7%
17.0%
5.1%

Those who answered 1-3 on the previous question, in your opinion, have the goals the government set for the operation been achieved or not been achieved so far?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
All have been achieved
1.7%
7.7%
2.2%
Most have been achieved
42.5%
5.3%
39.3%
Only some goals have been achieved
47.6%
12.6%
44.6%
No goals have been achieved
5.6%
64.9%
10.7%
Don't know/decline to answer
2.6%
9.5%
3.1%

Hamas has posed several demands to Israel and announced that if Israel does not agree to meet them, it will continue to fire at it. In light of this, with which of the following opinions about where to go next with Operation Protective Edge do you agree more?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
Israel does not have to meet any of Hamas's demands and should fight until they surrender
57.8%
4.5%
48.9%
Israel should consider Hamas's demands and respond positively to those that are reasonable in terms of national security
40.6%
53.9%
42.8%
Israel should accept Hamas's demands so that the rocket fire will stop
0.4%
32.4%
5.8%
Don't Know/Decline To Answer
1.2%
9.3%
2.5%

What is your opinion today about the familiar saying "the world is against us"?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
I'm sure it's true
28.0%
25.4%
27.6%
I think it's true
35.1%
19.8%
32.6%
I think it's not true
26.1%
22.8%
25.6%
Don't Know/Decline To Answer
2.1%
13.1%
3.9%

How would you evaluate the performance of the IDF in the context of Operation Protective Edge?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
Very good performance
69.7%
10.9%
59.9%
Moderately good performance
27.0%
4.9%
23.3%
Not so good performance
2.0%
4.5%
2.4%
Poor performance
0.5%
59.5%
10.3%
Don't know/decline to answer
0.8%
20.0%
4.1%

How would you evaluate the performance of the national political leaders in the context of Operation Protective Edge?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
Very good performance
20.5%
11.7%
19.0%
Moderately good performance
40.4%
14.3%
36.0%
Not so good performance
25.9%
15.3%
24.2%
Poor performance
8.7%
28.5%
12.0%
Don't know/decline to answer
4.5%
30.2%
8.8%

Do you agree or disagree with cabinet ministers’ criticisms of Netanyahu that he is running the operation too hesitantly and moderately?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
Strongly agree
14.2%
20.3%
15.2%
Moderately agree
27,4%
13.1%
25.0%
Moderately disagree
21.2%
9.7%
19.3%
Don't agree at all
32.5%
28.8%
31.9%
Don't Know/Decline To Answer
4.7%
28.0%
8.6%

What, in your opinion, is the best way for Israel to deal with the challenge that Hamas is now posing?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
The military way
25.7%
3.4%
22.0%
The political diplomatic way 
7.1%
71.8%
17.9%
A combination of the two ways
65.6%
15.1%
57.2%
Don't Know/Decline To Answer
1.7%
9.7%
3.0%

What grade from 1 to 10 would you give the resilience and unity of the Israeli Jewish population during Operation Protective Edge so far, with 1 meaning very low resilience and unity and 10 meaning very high resilience and unity?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
1
0.3%
21.5%
3.8%
2
0%
2.9%
0.5%
3
0.7%
11.3%
2.5%
4
0.9%
7.8%
2.0%
5
2.4%
19.1%
5.2%
6
2.5%
4.3%
2.8%
7
4.3%
4.0%
4.3%
8
15.8%
2.9%
13.6%
9
19.1%
0%
15.9%
10
53.4%
9.5%
46.1%
Don't know/decline to answer
0.7%
16.7%
3.3%

What grade from 1 to 10 would you give the degree of civic responsibility shown by the Israeli Arab population during Operation Protective Edge so far, with 1 meaning very low civic responsibility and 10 meaning very high civic responsibility?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
1
22.2%
13.9%
20.8%
2
9.6%
8.6%
9.4%
3
7.6%
10.8%
8.1%
4
5.8%
8.1%
6.2%
5
15.9%
11.0%
15.1%
6
5.2%
13.3%
6.5%
7
7.2%
4.8%
6.8%
8
6.8%
4.5%
6.5%
9
2.9%
0.9%
2.5%
10
5.9%
7.6%
6.1%
Don't know/decline to answer
11.0%
16.0%
11.9%

Taking into account the variety of commentators and positions, what grade from 1 to 10 would you give the Israeli television networks’ coverage of Operation Protective Edge so far, with 1 meaning a very low professional level and 10 meaning a very high professional level?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
1
6.3%
19.6%
8.5%
2
2.6%
12.3%
4.2%
3
4.2%
8.7%
4.9%
4
3.0%
6.0%
3.5%
5
13.4%
7.2%
12.4%
6
4.4%
7.1%
4.8%
7
10.5%
5.6%
9.7%
8
19.9%
7.2%
17.7%
9
8.8%
.8%
7.5%
10
18.2%
7.1%
16.4%
Don't know/decline to answer
8.7%
18.4%
10.3%

In your opinion, to what extent was the principle of freedom of expression upheld or not upheld in Israel during Operation Protective Edge, with 1 meaning it was upheld to a very low degree and 10 meaning it was upheld to a very high degree?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
1
3.1%
24.9%
6.7%
2
1.6%
5.3%
2.3%
3
2.7%
6.2%
3.3%
4
2.5%
3.7%
2.7%
5
9.3%
17.4%
10.7%
6
6.3%
10.5%
7.0%
7
13.4%
1.7%
11.5%
8
17.3%
5.0%
15.3%
9
8.9%
3.7%
8.1%
10
32.5%
5.2%
28.0%
Don't know/decline to answer
2.2%
16.5%
4.6%

In your opinion, during military operation is it necessary or unnecessary to limit freedom of expression in Israel when it comes to expressing criticism of the operation (not when it comes to breaking the law by revealing military secrets?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
I'm sure it needs to be limited
22.9%
34.2%
24.8%
I think it needs to be
35.5%
10.3%
31.3%
I think it does not need to be
21.7%
15.9%
20.7%
I'm sure it does not need to be
17.5%
26.1%

19.0%

Don't know/decline to answer
2.3%
13.4%

4.1%

To what extent do you trust Egypt under President Sissi to act as a fair mediator between Israel and Hamas?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
Strongly trust it
14.9%
20.4%
15.8%
Moderately trust it
45.0%
10.5%
39.2%
Don't trust it that much
23.8%
13.1%
22.0%
Don't trust it at all
14.0%
41.7%

18.6%

Don't know/decline to answer
2.4%
14.3%

4.4%

What, in your opinion, are the chances that Operation Protective Edge will lead to total quiet from Gaza for at least three years from the moment that it ends?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
Very low chances
28.4%
20.7%
27.1%
Moderately low chances
42.3%
27.8%
39.9%
Moderately high chances
19.4%
25.4%
20.4%
Very high chances
5.8%
12.9%

7.0%

Don't know/decline to answer
4.2%
13.2%

5.7%

Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the country in the coming years?(August 21 2014, The Peace Index)

 

Israeli Jews
Israeli Arabs
General Population
Very optimistic
24.3%
21.7%
23.8%
Moderately optimistic
40.9%
18.0%
37.1%
Moderately pessimistic
22.8%
23.8%
23.0%
Very pessimistic
9.8%
22.8%

12.0%

Don't know/decline to answer
2.1%
13.7%

4.0%

Will Operation Protective Edge lead to 3 or more years of complete quiet from Gaza? (August 19 2014, IDI)

Israeli Jews,operation will bring complete quiet for 3 years

29%
Israeli Jews, operation will not bring complete quiet for 3 years
71%
Israeli Arabs, operation will bring complete quiet for 3 years
51%
Israeli Arabs, operation will not bring complete quiet for 3 years
49%

Has Egypt been an effective and fair mediator during the negotiations? (August 19 2014, IDI)

Israeli Jews, yes the Egyptian officials have been fair mediators

60%
Israeli Jews, no the Egyptian officials have not been fair mediators
40%
Israeli Arabs, yes the Egyptian officials have been fair mediators
31%
Israeli Arabs, no the Egyptian officials have not been fair mediators
69%

How should Israel address the demands of Hamas? (August 19 2014, IDI)

Israeli Jews, Israel should respond positively to their demands that are reasonable in terms of national security

41%
Israeli Jews, Israel should not accept any of the demands of Hamas
58%
Israeli Arabs, Israel should respond positively to their demands that are reasonable in terms of national security
54%
Israeli Arabs, Israel should not accept any of the demands of Hamas
54%

In your opinion was Operation Protective Edge justified? (August 19 2014, IDI)

Israeli Jews, operation was justified

92%
Israeli Jews, operation was not justified
8%
Israeli Arabs, operation was justified
38%
Israeli Arabs, operation was not justified
62%

 

Were your Political Views Changed by Operation Protective Edge? (August 8 2014, IMRA)

Unchanged

 70%
Shifted Left
2%
Shifted Right
26% 
No Response
2% 

 

What Should the Goal of the Government of Israel be for the Gaza Strip?(August 8 2014, IMRA)

Demilitarization under supervision of international force 

 74%
Replace Hamas with Abbas Government
16%
Security
8% 
No Response
2% 

 

Should the Government of Israel See the Abas Government as a Partner for an Arrangement in the Gaza Strip?(August 8 2014, IMRA)

Yes

 47%
No
40%
No Response
13% 

 

Should the Government of Israel Apply the Same "Targeted Assisination" Policy Used During the Second Lebanon War Against Hamas Leadership?(August 8 2014, IMRA)

Yes

 92%
No
4%
No Response
4% 

 


Sources: Independent Media Review and Analysis, Israel Democracy Institute/Tel Aviv University, The Peace Index