Gaza Herald_ In a political moment defined by deep instability, Israel’s latest opinion polls reveal far more than shifting public sentiments; they expose a society increasingly entrenched in extremism, consumed by fear, and reliant on raw military power as its primary organizing principle. These findings cut sharply through official narratives meant to sanitize reality, instead painting a picture of an Israeli public growing more radicalized and more supportive of policies that intensify violence against Palestinians.
Israel’s recent polling reflects a structural shift in the collective mindset, one that, according to Israeli affairs analyst Imad Abu Awad, stems from a profound crisis of existential fear and mistrust. This internal anxiety has driven large segments of Israeli society to embrace harsher, more militarized solutions, viewing overwhelming force not as a tactic but as the only viable path to preserving the state.
The surveys highlight a dramatic erosion of confidence in Israel’s political leadership. Only 9.7 percent of respondents believe the political echelon is capable of managing the war, while nearly a quarter say power should be shared between political leaders and the military. Another 14 percent say neither can be trusted at all. Such numbers underscore what Abu Awad describes as the “sanctification of the army,” reinforcing the military’s dominance over the country’s policymaking and giving it increasingly unchecked authority to shape the trajectory of the conflict.
Another striking trend is the extent to which the war has become embedded in everyday Israeli life. According to the polls, 56 percent of Israelis say they or a family member have served in the army or reserves since October 7. This personal entanglement with combat, Abu Awad argues, has accelerated a collective radicalization and deepened the belief that a perpetual state of war is both normal and necessary, fueling public support for continued violence.
When asked to identify the issues that should guide decision-making, Israelis ranked their priorities as follows: the burden on reserve forces, economic impact, Israel’s international standing, fear of legal accountability for soldiers, and, far down the list, the harm inflicted on Palestinian civilians. Only 31.5 percent believed Palestinian civilian suffering should influence policy in any meaningful way. For Abu Awad, this reveals a public mindset that places little to no value on Palestinian life, instead elevating military, political, and economic considerations above all else. This, he notes, is part of a broader normalization of dehumanization and a willingness to legitimize state violence.
Abu Awad further explains that Israeli society is undergoing a sharp shift toward the far right, where extremist and even fascist ideologies, once marginalized, are now central within the government itself. A growing movement prioritizes loyalty to “the people” over loyalty to the state, guided by a biblical, expansionist worldview rooted in domination and suppression. Far from representing moderation, this trend poses a direct internal threat to the state’s own stability.
This convergence of militarization, mistrust, and ideological extremism has created a society that believes in the illusion of absolute power while simultaneously doubting its own long-term viability in the region. According to Abu Awad’s assessment, continuing down this path will ignite new internal and regional crises, deepen the bloodshed, and push Israel toward mounting existential challenges that cannot be resolved through force alone.
In the end, these polls do not simply measure public opinion, they expose the dangerous trajectory of a society embracing extremism at a moment when genuine accountability, restraint, and a path toward peace are desperately needed.
