Majority of Israelis fears Oct 7-style attack from Judea and Samaria, opposes Palestinian State

According to a recent poll by the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs and Security Affairs, almost two thirds of Israelis fear another Oct. 7 style attack by Palestinians in the territories of Judea and Samaria. 

Concern for a similar attack by terror elements in the Palestinian Territories is particularly high among the Jewish public, with 68% of Jewish respondents expressing concern, compared to only 25% of Israeli Arab respondents. 

Respondents were asked, “Do you fear an attack similar to October 7, 2023, from Arabs in Judea & Samaria?” 

Another question asked about support for the establishment of a Palestinian state. 

“After October 7, do you support the establishment of a Palestinian state in the 1967 borders?” 

Predictably, Jewish support was low, with 75% of Jewish respondents answering, “No,” compared to only 16% of Israeli Arabs who answered the same. 

Forty-two percent of Israeli Arabs support the establishment of a Palestinian state with no conditions, while 21% of Arab respondents and 16% of Jewish respondents support the establishment of a Palestinian state with the condition that the said state must recognize the right of Israel to exist as a “Jewish state.” 

Surprisingly, Jewish opposition to a Palestinian state does not change meaningfully, even if the founding of that state led to normalization with Saudi Arabia. 

Regarding the possibility that Hamas would remain in Gaza as a civilian political body, an absolute majority of survey participants (82%) oppose such a scenario. Practically all of the Jewish respondents (90%) oppose such a plan, compared to 33% of Arabs in Israel. 

Almost half (46%) of Israeli Arabs oppose a continued Hamas presence in Gaza as a military organization, while 94% of Jewish respondents oppose such a scenario. 

Regarding the participation of the Palestinian Authority in the “day after” governance of Gaza, the poll indicated that a quarter of the Israeli Arab public (25%) opposes the Palestinian Authority having such a role, while 44% of Israeli Arabs support PA involvement. 

In contrast, 66% of Jewish respondents oppose PA involvement, with only 21% supporting a role for the PA in the post-war governance of Gaza. 

While a slight majority (55%) of Israeli Arabs oppose the Trump proposal for Gaza, which includes the relocation of the Palestinian population there, an absolute majority of respondents (75%) support the plan. 

An almost equally high number (71%) of Israeli respondents – Jews and Arabs combined – support the establishment of buffer zones in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. 

The survey was conducted among a representative sample of more than 700 Jewish and Arab participants between the ages of 18-65, by Dr. Menachem Lazar's Lazar Research Institute. The survey took place following discussions about "the day after Hamas in Gaza" and after the announcement of the Trump proposal for Gaza. 

According to the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs and Security Affairs, these findings reflect a widespread sense of insecurity among the Israeli public, especially after the events of Oct. 7. 

“The survey shows that the fear of another attack is not only a scenario far from reality for most Israelis, but a tangible threat that must be taken into account in formulating a clear strategy to ensure the security of the residents,” the center said in a statement about the survey findings.