Almost two-thirds of Israelis (65%) support US President Donald Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and believe it is the best solution to end the war in the coastal enclave, a Jerusalem Post poll revealed on Tuesday.
The poll, carried out by Menachem Lazar’s Panel4All over the past two days, included responses from 500 Israeli Jews and Arabs 18 years old and over.
Only 16% of respondents stated that they do not support the president’s plan, with 10% saying the plan is morally reprehensible due to it necessitating the forced displacement of Palestinians, while 6% say there are more preferable solutions to be implemented.
Trump’s plan carries significant support among coalition voters, with 88% of right-leaning people voicing their support for the plan. In comparison, 51% of opposition voters support the plan.
One-in-three Israelis support Jewish state 'from the river to the sea'
A plurality of 35% of respondents stated that one Jewish state, “from the river to the sea,” is the best solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while 29% support a two-state solution. In contrast, only 6% said they would support the establishment of an inclusive state for all its citizens.
The remaining 30% said none of the options constitute an appropriate solution to the conflict.
When asked about Trump’s motivations behind his plan to take control of the Gaza Strip, 14% of respondents said the president has Israel’s best interests in mind, while 49% said that, while Trump did have Israeli interests in mind, they were not his main consideration. This sentiment was shared by 57% of right-wing voters and 44% of left-wing ones.
Twenty-seven percent said Trump’s Gaza plan mainly serves American national interests or the president’s own personal interests, a figure that includes 19% of people who support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. Some 3% said Trump failed to take Israeli interests into account, with 7% saying they did not know.
What is Israel's preferred 'day after' plan in Gaza?
The poll included a separate question asking what is the most appropriate “day after” plan in Gaza. Some 52% of coalition voters and 46% of opposition voters said Trump’s plan would be the most preferable, contingent on the willing relocation of Gazans.
Some 19% of respondents, including one in three left-leaning voters, noted their preferred “day-after” vision would be transferring responsibility for the Gaza Strip to neighboring Arab states such as Egypt, along with Saudi Arabia and Gulf states such as Qatar. In contrast, only 10% of right-wing voters stated their support for such a solution.
A similar 19% also stated their support for a full Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, which would include the establishment of a military governing body and resettlement of Jews to the area. This option was preferred by 31% of coalition voters, while 6% of opposition voters supported the idea.
Some 7% of respondents, all left-leaning, voiced support for the transfer of the Gaza Strip to the control of the Palestinian Authority, while a similar percentage of respondents firmly noted that “there is no solution” for Gaza. Some 5% of respondents noted that a different solution not mentioned in the poll would be preferable.