A vast majority of Jewish Israelis have lost hope in the possibility of a peace agreement with the Palestinians, according to a new survey by the Jewish People Policy Institute.
The findings, published in the JPPI’s “Israeli Society Index,” revealed that 85% of Israel’s Jews believed there was no realistic prospect for a peace deal in the foreseeable future, with 70% expressing this sentiment “strongly.”
Skepticism was also significant but less pronounced among Arab citizens of Israel, with 40% agreeing that peace was unlikely, including 19% who “strongly agreed.”
The data for the March JPPI survey was collected through “The Index” panel and the Afkar research firm. The findings were adjusted for voting patterns and religious affiliation to reflect the views of Israel’s adult population.
The poll reflected a shift toward deepening skepticism, particularly among Jewish Israelis. Even among left-wing voters, 44% said a peace deal was unlikely. Across all other political and religious sectors, a clear majority held the view that peace with the Palestinians was not within reach.
The survey highlighted a broader decline in support for a long-term peace agreement. Only 35% of Israeli Jews agreed that “ultimately, there is no alternative to a long-term peace agreement with the Palestinians,” compared to 43% last year. Among Arab Israelis, a majority (55%) still saw peace as essential, though one-quarter disagreed.
Political affiliations played a key role in these attitudes. While left-wing and center-left voters still believed in the necessity of a peace deal, the numbers dropped significantly among centrist and right-leaning voters. Only 46% of centrist voters agreed that peace was the only viable long-term solution, while support was even lower among center-right voters at just 22%.
Support for Israeli control over Palestinian territories grew
The survey also found an increase in support for expanding Israeli control over Palestinian territories, including growing backing for settlement expansion and even the possible dissolution of the Palestinian Authority.
In October 2024, 34% of Jewish Israelis said they identified with this perspective. By March 2025, that number had jumped to 47%.
At the same time, support for negotiations toward a Palestinian state had declined. Six months ago, 19% of Jewish Israelis supported working toward a peace deal with moderate Palestinians. That number had now dropped to just 11%.
Among Arab Israelis, support for negotiations had remained stable, with 63% still favoring a Palestinian state. However, 19% supported full separation from Palestinians, including dismantling certain settlements while ensuring Israel retained military control over security threats. A smaller segment (9%) supported expanding Israeli control over Palestinian territories.
On the issue of settlements, a majority of Jewish Israelis (58%) viewed settlements in the West Bank as a national security asset rather than a burden. Additionally, 56% rejected the claim that they placed an excessive strain on the Israeli military.
However, 35% of Jewish Israelis still saw settlements as a liability.
By contrast, Arab Israelis overwhelmingly opposed the settlements, with 63% regarding them as a security burden and rejecting the idea that they enhanced Israeli safety.
Settlements seen as a security asset
THE SURVEY also examined public opinion on Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and the question of whether securing the release of hostages should take precedence over military objectives.
A majority of both Jewish and Arab Israelis supported completing a hostage deal before determining the fate of Hamas in Gaza. However, 25% of Jewish Israelis favored halting negotiations to resume military operations against the terror group immediately. Among Arab Israelis, 80% believed that prioritizing the hostage deal over military action was the correct course.
Since February 2025, support for completing the hostage deal has risen slightly – by 3% among Jewish Israelis and 5% among Arab Israelis. However, right-wing Israelis remained divided: 47% favored resuming military operations against Hamas after the first phase of a hostage deal, while 34% preferred to complete the deal before deciding on further military action. Among Religious Zionist voters, 76% backed returning to military operations as soon as possible.
By contrast, secular and traditional Jewish Israelis largely favored completing the hostage deal. Among Likud voters, 43% supported finishing the deal first, while 33% preferred immediate military action. Opposition party voters overwhelmingly supported the deal, with 90% of National Unity, 100% of Yesh Atid, 82% of Yisrael Beytenu, and 100% of The Democrats voters backing its completion.
Gazan emigration proposal
The survey also gauged public opinion on the idea of encouraging Gazan emigration, a proposal that had gained traction among right-wing policymakers and was recently supported by former US President Donald Trump.
According to the findings, 62% of Israelis supported the idea of Gazans relocating to other countries, though this figure had declined from the previous month. Additionally, fewer Israelis now believed the plan was realistic – support for it as a “practical solution” had dropped from 43% to 32% since last month. Another 32% said they supported the idea but doubted its feasibility.
One-fifth of Israelis (20%) considered the proposal a distraction from more realistic solutions, while 13% – including just 3% of Jewish Israelis – viewed it as immoral. Among Arab Israelis, a strong majority rejected the proposal as either impractical or unethical.
Support for the emigration plan was highest among right-wing voters, with 71% seeing it as both desirable and practical. Support existed in centrist and center-right circles but was tempered by doubts about its feasibility (39% and 22%, respectively). A majority of left-wing voters dismissed the proposal as irrelevant (51%) or rejected it on moral grounds (19%).
Dr. Shuki Friedman, director-general of the JPPI, said the survey results reflected a growing belief among Israelis that there was no near-term solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“The survey results show that a large majority of Israelis believe that a resolution to the ‘Palestinian issue’ and Israel’s control over Judea and Samaria is unlikely in the foreseeable future,” Friedman said.
“This presents an opportunity for Israeli society to set aside this debate and focus on addressing urgent domestic issues. The traditional divide between the Right and Center is hardly relevant, making it possible to unite and act as a Zionist bloc to resolve issues such as drafting haredim [the ultra-Orthodox] and integrating them into Israeli society.”