57% of Israelis think the country's leadership is not doing the utmost to return the hostages - IDI

The majority (60%) of Jews on the Right still think that the leadership is doing the utmost, but this majority has decreased from 66% in March.

By EVE YOUNG DECEMBER 5, 2024 18:07

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the forefront of a protest in Tel Aviv with Liri Elbag's hostage poster inside a cage (illustrative) (photo credit: Canva, Screenshot/YouTube, TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90)

The majority of Israelis (57%) said that Israel's leaders are not doing everything possible to secure the release of the hostages, an increase from March when the public was "more evenly divided on the issue," according to an Israel Democracy Institute poll published this week. 

"The share of respondents who think that the leadership is doing its utmost to bring the hostages home has decreased in both the Jewish and the Arab samples," the IDI said. 

There is a decline among the Jewish population in the proportion of those who think that Israel's leadership is doing all it can to secure the release of the hostages among all three political camps, the poll found.

The majority (60%) of Jews on the Right still think that the leadership is doing the utmost, but this majority has decreased from 66% in March.

Just 20% and 14% of Jews in the center and the Left, respectively, think that Israel's leadership is doing everything possible to return the hostages.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu give a speech ahead of a cabinet meeting on December 3, 2024 (credit: SCREENSHOT/YOUTUBE/ISRAELIPM/NOAM MATRY/GPO)

Netanyahu's suitability 

The poll also examined whether Israelis think Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu can function as wartime prime minister while testifying at his trial, finding that they are split. 

While 48% think he cannot do both at the same time, 46% think he is capable. Among Israeli Arabs, 61% think Netanyahu cannot function as prime minister while giving evidence in court, and 45% of Jews think he cannot.

Looking at the split along political lines, 70% of Left-wing Jews believe that he cannot do both, 55% of Jews in the political center think he cannot do both, and 34% of Right-wing Israeli Jews think he cannot do both.