Majority of Israelis Identify as “Rightwing” Following Oct. 7 Massacre, Poll

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A new poll taken in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack shows that traditional leftwing support for the Palestinians has declined significantly, with a substantial majority of Israelis now identifying as right-wing on the issue.

Conducted by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Agam Labs, the poll tracked the views of 4,000 Jewish Israeli adults on the Palestinian question between Aug. 2023, two months before the Oct. 7 attack, and May 2024, eight months later.

The poll found that, before Oct. 7, 58% of respondents considered themselves right-wing, 25% as center, and around 17% as leftwing. Now, 60% of respondents consider themselves rightwing, 27% as center, and just 13% as leftwing.

When asked if they agree with the statement – “Alongside the campaign against Hamas, humanitarian aid should be given to the residents of the Gaza Strip” – a striking 60% of respondents now disagree with the statement, compared to 39% who disagreed with the policy before Oct. 7.

However, when asked their views on how to end the conflict, 46% of respondents now believe the only way to end the conflict is by annexing all Palestinian-run territories to Israel, compared to 52% who believed so in August 2023. Moreover, nearly half of respondents (49%) believe the only way to end the conflict is through a two-state solution – compared to 30% who believed so in August 2023.

“Israelis who previously opposed a Palestinian state on ideological grounds may support it if convinced it benefits Israel’s security and prevents future attacks like Hamas’s, or if the costs of refusing a political move are too high, the Agam Labs researchers wrote. “However, a plan presenting a viable vision for independent Palestinian rule while maintaining Israel’s security interests is a categorical step,” the researchers emphasized.

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