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When asked, an overwhelming majority (86%) of secular Israelis said the deal needed to be completed until the last of the hostages return home.
By AARON REICH FEBRUARY 12, 2025 13:57 Updated: FEBRUARY 12, 2025 14:07
An Israeli soldier with a prayer shawl seen during a morning prayer near his tank near the border with Lebanon, northern Israel, October 25, 2023
(photo credit: MICHAL GILADI/FLASH90)
Religious Israeli Jews are more likely to reject Palestinian statehood and making deals with Hamas, and are more likely to support solutions such as full Israeli annexation of the West Bank and Gaza, according to an exclusive Jerusalem Post poll conducted by Menachem Lazar and Panel4All.
The poll, carried out on February 10-11, found that the more religious a respondent is, the more likely they are to be opposed to Palestinian sovereignty, the data showed, with ultra-Orthodox and religious Israeli Jews being far more supportive of military action against diplomacy.
The data comes as Israelis are reeling from the sight of emaciated hostages released by Hamas on Saturday, and US President Donald Trump’s statements of an American takeover of Gaza and the transfer of Gaza’s population to other countries.
How are more religious Israeli Jews more in favor of major actions and against diplomacy with the Palestinians?
When asked if they thought Trump’s plan to transfer Gazans to a different country – regardless of whether permanently or temporarily – was the right move, a vast majority (74%) of Jewish respondents said yes. However, that was broken down among religious lines. An overwhelming majority of religious (94%) and haredi (89%) of respondents voted in favor, compared to 81% of traditional (Masorti) Jews and 61% of secular Jews.
When asked what they thought was the best solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, most religious (63%) and haredi (61%) of respondents answered a one-state solution, with a single Jewish state from the river to the sea. This was further supported by a plurality (40%) of masorti Jewish respondents. However, it was only backed by just over a quarter (27%) of secular Israelis.
By contrast, 34% of secular Israelis and 21% of masorti Israelis supported a two-state solution, compared to just 9% of haredim and 6% of religious Israelis.
Regarding the best solution for the Gaza Strip, significant numbers of religious (39%) and haredi (34%) respondents said that Israel should occupy Gaza, institute a military government similar to what is currently in the West Bank, and rebuild Gush Katif.
When asked what they thought about the hostage deal, an overwhelming majority (86%) of secular Israelis said the deal needed to be completed until the last of the hostages return home, and 77% of secular Israelis also said the sight of the emaciated hostages made them want to expedite the hostage deal as much as possible.
However, other religious demographics are more split, most notably 35% of religious Israelis and 33% of haredim saying their stance on the deal hadn’t changed.
What does this mean?
The findings of this survey come amid a year-long war that has dramatically impacted the lives and perceptions of Israelis across the country. Furthermore, it comes during a growing trend of a rise in religiosity and religious unity within the country.
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According to a previous The Jerusalem Post-Panel4All poll conducted in February 2024, a third of Israeli Jews have become more religious since October 7, 2023, and that an overwhelming majority (69%) felt a greater connection to the State of Israel as a result.
More notably, a higher percentage of younger respondents (48%) said their religious faith increased since the war began.
According to a June 2024 Pew Research Center poll, Israeli society has become more united religiously and politically during the Israel-Hamas War.
However, several issues such as the haredi draft debate, have further heightened the divide among Israel’s religious demographics.
English (US) ·