Israelis remain divided on Iran war effort despite uncertainty

Israeli Public Supports War with Iran, Rallying Behind Netanyahu

A recent poll by the Israel Democracy Institute found that 93% of Jewish respondents in Israel support the attack on Iran. The opposition leader, Yair Lapid, has stated that he will no longer back motions of no confidence against the government amid a “just war”. Despite political divisions, many Israelis have rallied behind Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance on the conflict.

Alon-Lee Green, co-founder of the Palestinian-Jewish activist group Standing Together, attempted to organize a protest against the war on Iran. The event was held in an underground theatre due to concerns over public safety. However, the police presence and right-wing protesters were not present as anticipated. Instead, they claimed to be monitoring the situation.

Green noted that much of Israeli society has supported the war with Iran, similar to the backing given to the 2014 Gaza conflict following the October 7 attack on southern Israel. He attributed this support to the fact that many Israelis view Iran as an enemy intent upon their destruction.

Netanyahu framed the war in epochal terms, stating it would be “recorded in the annals of Israel” and fought for “future generations”. Chatham House’s Yossi Mekelberg noted that rallying around the flag is expected in the first few days of any war. He also pointed out that many Israeli parties are offering uncritical support for a war against Iran, which may be easier to understand given the Iranian regime’s history of arming groups such as Hezbollah and the Houthis.

Analysts have noted that critical examination of the war has been absent from public discussions, with details on negotiations, sanctions, and the effectiveness of the nuclear deal being overshadowed. London-based Israeli academic and media analyst Ayala Panievsky stated that there is a significant gap between how this war is portrayed in Israel and elsewhere, with little to no criticism in the mainstream media.

The opposition’s stance on the war has been characterized as contradictory, with many parties supporting the conflict while opposing Netanyahu. Green described this phenomenon as a “complete failure of politics”.

Source: Al Jazeera