A slim majority of Israelis back ongoing military operations in Gaza, according to a Maariv poll published Friday. About half of the public (51%) supports continuing the fighting, while 39% oppose it and 10% remain undecided.
The poll, conducted by Lazar Research on May 21–22, surveyed 509 respondents representing a cross-section of Israeli adults.
Nearly all coalition voters (87%) favor continuing the Gaza operation, with 72% strongly supporting it. In contrast, 67% of opposition voters oppose further fighting.
When asked about the IDF’s conduct in Gaza, 43% believe the military is operating with appropriate strength, and 27% think the campaign is too weak. Fifteen percent feel the operation is too intense.
Coalition supporters were more likely to say the fighting is too weak (37%), while opposition voters often viewed it as too intense (20%). A majority of Arab party voters (61%) also said the operation is too intense.
On the political front, the Maariv poll shows no major shifts in the overall balance of power in the Knesset from the last poll conducted. The coalition holds 48 seats, while the opposition commands 62, excluding Arab parties.
Democrats party continues to lose ground after Golan's statements on war
The Democrats party continues to lose ground following remarks by its leader, Yair Golan, dropping four seats to 12. Most of those seats have shifted to Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid, which gained three seats to 15, and Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beiteinu, which rose by one seat to 19.
Golan, during an interview on Monday with KAN Reshet Bet’s This Morning program, said, “A sane country does not kill babies for a hobby.”
If new elections were held today, Likud would receive 23 seats, Yisrael Beiteinu 19, National Unity 16, and Yesh Atid 15. The Democrats would hold 12 seats, while Otzma Yehudit and Shas would each secure nine seats. United Torah Judaism would have seven seats, Hadash–Ta’al six, and Ra’am four. Both Balad and Religious Zionism would fail to pass the electoral threshold.
In an alternate scenario where Naftali Bennett leads a new party, that faction would be the largest with 28 seats. Likud would fall to 20 seats, Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beiteinu would each have 11, while Shas and National Unity would hold nine seats apiece. Otzma Yehudit would secure eight seats, the Democrats and United Torah Judaism would each receive seven, Hadash–Ta’al six, and Ra’am four. Balad and Religious Zionism would remain below the threshold.
The margin of error for the poll is 4.4%.
