According to the survey, 88% support opening a Commission of Inquiry on the failures that led to Oct. 7
Additional findings:
- A large majority of Israelis (90%) back the 20-point Trump Plan, but only a minority believe Hamas will relinquish rule of Gaza
- 59% oppose stripping voting rights from those who do not enlist in the IDF
The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) releases the findings of its November Israeli Society Index, which examined public attitudes after the war regarding the ceasefire agreement, the performance of leadership, the sense of victory, and contemporary civic issues, including ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) conscription, Israel-U.S. relations, and political polarization in Israel.
According to the findings, most of the public (90%) believes Israel did the right thing by accepting President Trump’s plan to end the war, but only a minority believes that the war’s objective — ending Hamas rule in Gaza — will be fully achieved.
Sixty percent of Jewish respondents estimate that Hamas will retain a significant governing role, and a very large majority (88%) demands a Commission of Inquiry to examine the failures that led to the war.
“War of Revival” or the “October 7 War”?
There is no consensus among Israelis on the appropriate name for the war. Of the four names presented in the survey, two in five Israelis (42%) prefer “October 7 War.” One-sixth (16%) chose the government’s name, “War of Revival,” and one-eighth (13%) prefer “Swords of Iron,” the original name given by the IDF. One-eighth (12%) support “Simchat Torah War,” 7% think none of the options fit, and 10% did not know how to answer.
By ideological orientation: There is near-total agreement on the left and center-left (85% and 80%, respectively) on “October 7 War.” In contrast, a third (32%) of those who identify with the right prefer “War of Revival,” and roughly a quarter (23%) think the war should be called “Simchat Torah War.”
Among Likud voters (2022 elections), 37% think the war should be called “War of Revival,” 24% prefer “October 7 War,” 11% chose “Simchat Torah War,” and 10% prefer the original IDF name “Swords of Iron.” A high share of the religious public (45%) chose “Simchat Torah War.”
The Trump Plan
As noted, a very large majority of Israelis (90%) believe Israel acted appropriately in accepting President Trump’s plan to end the war. Fifty-five percent say Israel did so because “it had no choice,” and 35% say it is a good plan. The plan calls for the end of Hamas rule in Gaza. Even so, most of the public does not anticipate that this objective will be fully realized.
A quarter of Israelis (25%) believe Hamas will continue to rule Gaza, and another third (31%) think Hamas will have “a significant role” in governing Gaza. A fifth (20%) estimate it will have a limited role in governing the Strip. By contrast, only 16% of Israelis believe Hamas will have no role at all in governing Gaza. Jewish Israelis are particularly pessimistic, with 60% estimating that Hamas will continue to have a significant role in governing Gaza.
A third (32%) of Israelis think the calm will last only a few more weeks; a fifth (20%) estimate it will last a few more months; a fifth (19%) think there will be calm for one to two years; and another fifth (18%) estimate a prolonged quiet of several years.
Commission of Inquiry
With the end of the war, a very large majority (88%) of Israelis believe that a Commission of Inquiry is required to clarify the circumstances that led to its outbreak. However, there is no agreement on the structure and framework of such a commission: 46% support a State Commission of Inquiry headed by a Supreme Court justice, while 42% prefer a National Commission of Inquiry with an agreed-upon composition that doesn’t include representation from the Supreme Court.
Four percent of the public believes there is no need to establish a special inquiry beyond the professional review committees of the security agencies.
Among Jews on the left and center-left, 90% support a State Commission of Inquiry headed by a Supreme Court justice. By contrast, on the right and center-right there is a clear preference for a National Commission of Inquiry without Supreme Court representation (79% and 56% respectively).
The split also appears along party lines: among coalition party voters, a majority favors a National Commission of Inquiry; among opposition party voters, a majority supports empaneling a State Commission of Inquiry.
Early Elections
Forty-four percent of Israelis want elections as soon as possible — within three months — and another 10% say elections should be held in the next six months. By contrast, 40% support holding as currently scheduled in fall 2026.
Is Israel a U.S. Protectorate?
Almost half of Israelis (45%) believe Israel aligns with American positions to the proper extent, a third (31%) think Israel does so a bit too much, and 15% feel Israel does so far too much.
A majority (65%) of those on the left believe Israel is aligning with American positions to the proper extent; criticism of the degree of American involvement is higher on the right: over half of right-leaning respondents (54%) think Israel aligns its policy with American positions too much (a little + a lot). In the center-right and the center, the public is split between those who think Israeli alignment is proper and those who fear an overly strong American influence.
Haredi Conscription and Voting Rights
According to the November JPPI Israeli Society Index, a majority of Israelis (59%) oppose the idea of revoking voting rights from those who do not enlist IDF, compared with a third (30%) who support it. The opposing majority is found among both Jewish (60%) and Arab (53%) Israelis.
A majority of the Israeli public opposes the bill proposed recently by MK Boaz Bismuth to regulate the exemption/conscription of Haredim into the IDF. Half of Israelis (48%) oppose the bill because they don’t believe it will lead to significant Haredi enlistment. Another 6% oppose it because they feel it places unfair pressure on the Haredi public. About a quarter of the public (26%) supports the bill — most viewing it is a reasonable compromise that will bring some Haredim into IDF service; a small minority supports it because they see it as a way to maintain coalition stability.
Methodology
The November survey data of the Jewish People Policy Institute were analyzed and weighted by voting pattern and religiosity to represent the views of Israel’s adult population. The Israeli Society Index is compiled by Shmuel Rosner and Noah Slepkov for JPPI. Prof. David Steinberg serves as statistical consultant.