Nearly two-thirds of Israelis oppose the ceasefire agreed last week between the United States and Iran, according to a national poll carried out by researchers at Hebrew University's Agam Labs. The survey, the first nationwide poll taken after the U.S. and Iran accepted a two-week truce brokered by Pakistan, shows the public is split on whether Israel should abide by the pause or resume military action against Iran.
The ceasefire, which halted U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, was reached in talks held in Islamabad. The two sides failed to convert the truce into a broader agreement to end the war during weekend negotiations in the Pakistan capital, the poll's authors noted.
Although the ceasefire has paused strikes on Iran, it has not halted a separate, concurrent conflict between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli forces have maintained bombardment in Lebanon, which the poll report said has resulted in many civilian fatalities. Hezbollah, meanwhile, continued to launch rockets toward towns in northern Israel.
On the question of whether the ceasefire should be expanded to cover the fighting with Hezbollah - a central demand by Iran during the Islamabad talks - the poll found that more than 61 percent of Israelis oppose such an extension. That opposition reflects a clear divergence between the terms sought in the U.S.-Iran discussions and public sentiment inside Israel.
When asked what course Israel should take with regard to Iran itself, respondents gave mixed answers: 39 percent said Israel should continue attacks, 41 percent said Israel should respect the ceasefire, and 19 percent said they were unsure. The poll surveyed 1,312 Israelis from April 9-10 and reported a margin of error of 3.2 percent.
With the status of the Iran ceasefire unresolved, Israeli officials are preparing for a protracted conflict across the Middle East, concluding that adversaries in Iran, Lebanon, Gaza and beyond cannot be fully eliminated, the poll commentary indicated. That posture suggests Israeli security policy may remain calibrated for a sustained period of heightened military activity.
The public's view of Israel's military performance in Iran has political consequences for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The poll shows his support has declined since the Iran war began: 34 percent of respondents now prefer him as premier, down from 40 percent at the outset of the conflict. Netanyahu faces an election due by October that public opinion polls generally indicate he may lose.
The results underscore immediate public and political pressures facing Israel as the region navigates an uncertain ceasefire and continued hostilities in Lebanon.