Israelis war-weary but most oppose Iran ceasefire, poll suggests

Israelis war-weary but most oppose Iran ceasefire, poll suggests

For Liat Zvi, the ongoing conflict with Iran feels like an unending cycle. Standing beside the shattered remnants of her Tel Aviv apartment—blown-out windows and cracked walls—she expresses the exhaustion many Israelis share. “It’s depressing,” she says. “We’ve been in war for two and a half years, and this just feels like another round.” Six weeks ago, her neighborhood was targeted by Iranian missiles, one of which bypassed Israel’s layered defenses and struck a residential building. The attack killed Mary Anne Velasquez de Vera, a 32-year-old Filipino caregiver, marking the first fatality in Israel during the Iran war. Now, as the conflict stands on a fragile truce, Zvi questions the cost of the fighting and struggles to imagine what lies ahead. “It’s too much for me to look forward,” she admits.

Poll Highlights War Weariness

New research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals a growing sense of weariness among Israelis. Yet, the findings also show that two-thirds remain opposed to the current tentative ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. Most respondents believe neither Iran nor Hezbollah in Lebanon has been significantly weakened by the recent US and Israeli strikes. When asked to describe their current emotions, a third named “despair,” followed by “confusion” and “anger.” “Hope” ranked fourth in the list of responses.

“If we’re not going to break sponsoring Iran’s proxies around here, then it’s [the ceasefire] not worth anything,” says Liat Zvi. “You need to come as strong to the table as you can.”

The poll, conducted on 9 and 10 April with 1,312 Israelis (1,084 Jews, 228 Arabs), reflects the deep divide in public opinion. While 39.5% argue that attacks on Tehran must continue, 41.4% support respecting the ceasefire. The disparity is even sharper when focusing on Arab respondents, with less than a fifth favoring renewed strikes against Iran.

A Divided Society

The conflict has exposed tensions between Israel’s Jewish majority and Arab minority. At the start of the war, a majority of Arab Israelis (61%) wanted a ceasefire immediately, according to a survey by the Institute of National Security Studies (INSS). By mid-March, the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) reported 93% of Jews backing the war on Iran, compared to 26% of Arabs. This rift continues to shape public sentiment.

Zvi emphasizes the need to dismantle Iran’s support for militant groups. “Peace must wait,” she says. “Until Hezbollah gives up their arms, I think the majority of Israelis won’t want the Lebanon fighting to end.” The Hebrew University poll aligns with this sentiment, indicating most Israelis agree Lebanon should not be part of an Iran ceasefire.

Backed by the US, Israel Pushes Forward

Israel, supported by the United States, has framed the battle with Hezbollah as a separate endeavor. The government insists the threat on the northern border must be eradicated. However, the Iran ceasefire includes Lebanon, as noted by Pakistan, the mediator, and Iran itself, which warned of resuming attacks if Israeli strikes persist there. Direct talks between Lebanon and Israel are set to take place in Washington DC, but few expect them to lead to major progress.

Netanyahu, the Prime Minister, only agreed to the negotiations after President Trump urged him to reduce strikes on Lebanon following the ceasefire’s initiation. Despite the political maneuvering, the Lebanese health ministry reported over 350 deaths in recent air strikes, with more than a third being women and children. The war continues, even as its outcomes remain uncertain.