Unprecedented Collapse in Israelis’ Trust in President Trump; Public Overwhelmingly Opposes Iran Deal, Supports Lebanon Agreement.
Initial findings from the July 2026 Israeli Society Index by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) point to a dramatic shift in Israeli public opinion toward U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside a complex picture of public attitudes toward the regional agreements signed in the aftermath of the war.
Historic Low in Trust in Trump
For the first time since JPPI began tracking this issue, fewer than one in ten Israelis express “a great deal of trust” in President Trump to do the right thing for U.S.-Israel relations. Only 7% now express high confidence in him, while 41%express “some trust,” and 45% say they have no trust at all.
The figures reflect a dramatic collapse in public confidence. By comparison, in January 2025, following Trump’s return to the White House, 32% expressed a great deal of trust in him, while only 21% said they had no trust. During Operation Lion’s Roar in March 2026, the share expressing high trust even rose to 34%. Within just four months, however, trust has fallen to an unprecedented low, following the signing of the Iran nuclear agreement and the president’s public statements. The decline has been steady month after month: 19% expressed high trust in April, 12% in June, and just 7% in July.
Even among the political right—traditionally Trump’s strongest base of support in Israel—confidence has fallen sharply. While a majority of right-wing Israelis still express at least some trust in him (8% great trust, 56% some trust), the share expressing high trust has dropped from 29% a year ago (shortly after Operation Rising Lion) to just 8% today, while the proportion expressing no trust has more than doubled.
Among the political center and left, the crisis is even deeper. 58% of centrist voters say they have no trust in Trump, rising to 74% among the center-left. In both camps, not a single respondent (0%) expressed a great deal of trust in the president. Among those who voted for Likud in the 2022 election, support remains strongest (15% express high trust), while distrust reaches 58% among National Unity voters and 77% among Meretz voters.
Among Jewish Israelis alone, just 5% still express a great deal of trust in Trump, while 46% say they have no trust in him whatsoever. Despite the sharp decline in confidence in President Trump and disagreements over U.S. policy, 74% of Israelis still regard the United States as a true friend of Israel.
The survey also reveals broad agreement on how Israel should manage its relationship with Washington. Two-thirds of Israelis (66%), and 77% of Jewish Israelis, believe Israel should strive to coordinate with the U.S. administration whenever possible, but when disagreements arise, should ultimately act according to what it believes is in its own best interests. Only a small minority believe Israel should always defer to Washington, while a similarly small minority believe Israel should disregard U.S. positions altogether.
Consensus: The Iran Deal Is Bad for Israel, the Lebanon Agreement Is Good
One of the survey’s clearest findings is the broad, cross-partisan opposition to the agreement signed between the United States and Iran.
While 55% of Israelis expressed concern in June, when the agreement was still taking shape, opposition intensified significantly following its signing in July. Today, 68% of Israelis believe the agreement is bad for Israel, including 56%who describe it as “very bad for Israel”—up sharply from 34% just one month earlier. Only 14% believe the agreement is good for Israel. Among Jewish Israelis, opposition is even stronger. 68% describe the agreement as “very bad,” while not a single Jewish respondent (0%) selected the option that the agreement is “very good for Israel.”
Opposition to the Iran agreement spans the entire Jewish political spectrum—from Likud (72%) and Religious Zionism (89%) to Labor (91%) and Meretz (81%). Among Arab Israelis, however, 57% believe the agreement is actually good for Israel. By contrast, the agreement with Lebanon enjoys broad public support—an unusual level of consensus on a major national security issue.
Nearly two-thirds of Israelis (63%) believe the Lebanon agreement is good for Israel, while only 18% disagree. Support cuts across both political and demographic lines. Jewish (63%) and Arab (64%) citizens express virtually identical levels of approval, while support remains strong among both the right (68%) and the left (62%).
Gaza Continues to Divide the Public
Unlike the broad agreement on Iran and Lebanon, Israelis remain divided over the future of Gaza. 43% of Israelis favor attempting to weaken Hamas through economic and diplomatic means, while 35% support returning to military operations until Israel’s stated objectives are achieved. Only 14% believe the current situation should simply be maintained. Among Jewish Israelis, 41% favor resuming military operations to eliminate Hamas rule, while 50% prefer economic and diplomatic pressure. Among Arab Israelis, 51% support maintaining the current situation and preserving the ceasefire.
Political divisions remain pronounced. On the right, a clear majority (68%) favors renewing military operations, while majorities in both the center (70%) and the left (92%) support shifting toward economic and diplomatic pressure.
The JPPI Israeli Society Index was conducted using the JPPI survey panel and the Afkar research company (for the Arab sector). The data were weighted by voting patterns and religiosity to ensure they accurately represent the Israeli public. The JPPI Israeli Society Index is edited by Shmuel Rosner and Noah Slepkov. Research and production: Yael Levinovsky. Statistical consultant: Prof. David Steinberg.