Nearly half of Israelis back Iran strike without US support – survey

Nearly half of Israelis support a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities even without US support, according to the April 2025 edition of the Israeli Voice Index released by the Israel Democracy Institute on Tuesday.

The survey found that 45% of Israelis support Israel striking Iran, while 41.5% oppose it. However, Jewish and Arab Israelis view this differently. Among Jewish Israelis, 52% support a strike compared to 34.5% who oppose it. In comparison, 76% of Arab Israelis oppose military action against Iran, with just 9% in support.

In the ongoing US-Iran nuclear negotiations, 45.5% of Israelis believe that US President Donald Trump will prioritize Israel’s security, while 44% disagree. Among Jewish Israelis, 46% believe Israel’s security will be prioritized, compared to 41.5% of Arab Israelis who disagree.

On the topic of the hostage deal, a majority of Israelis remain pessimistic about the chances of securing an agreement to release all remaining hostages.

According to the poll, 57.5% of Israelis believe that no deal will happen soon, while 36.5% remain hopeful. Among Jewish respondents, 57.5% doubt a deal will happen, while 31% feel optimistic. In contrast, 63% of Arab Israelis are optimistic, with 34% pessimistic.

Approval ratings of Israeli officials 

The poll also evaluated public approval of key Israeli officials. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir received the highest ratings, with 55.5% of respondents rating his performance positively and only 17.5% negatively.

President Isaac Herzog received a 49% positive rating and a 45% negative rating. Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara obtained a 47.5% positive rating and a 43% negative rating.

Israeli Police Commissioner Danny Levy received the lowest ratings, with 39% positive and 43% negative.

Among Jewish Israelis, Zamir received the highest approval, while among Arab Israelis, the attorney-general ranked highest.

The poll also showed sharp political divisions on allowing IDF reservists to protest or sign petitions.

Overall, 52.5% of Jewish respondents said such actions are inappropriate, with views varying by political affiliation.

Respondents disagree on IAF dismissals 

Respondents were asked about the recent dismissal of IAF pilots who signed a public letter calling for a hostage deal, even at the cost of halting the war, without explicitly refusing to serve. 

Half of Jewish Israelis (50%) believe this was a poor decision by the Air Force commander, while 41% are in favor of the decision. Among Arab Israelis, 56% disagreed with the move, and 27% supported it.

Dividing Independence and Remembrance Day 

With Independence Day and Remembrance Day approaching, 58% of Jewish Israelis support keeping the current format in which Independence Day begins immediately after Remembrance Day.

While past polls showed stronger support for separating the two, 29% still favor decoupling them, suggesting that the debate remains unresolved.

As Israel marks its 77th Independence Day, nearly half (48%) of Israelis believe the country has experienced more successes than failures. Another 23% say there has been a balance, while 19% think failures have outweighed achievements.

Comparing the Holocaust and October 7

Lastly, 57% of Jewish Israelis believe there is a basis for comparing the Holocaust and October 7—a slight increase from 54% last year. Only 21% of Arab Israelis find this comparison valid, a number that has barely changed from the previous year’s 23%.

The Israeli Voice Index is conducted monthly by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute. The April 2025 survey was conducted April 21–24 among a nationally representative sample of 749 Israeli adults—600 Hebrew speakers and 149 Arabic speakers—interviewed online and by phone.