Vast majority of Israelis oppose deal enabling Hamas to stay in power – poll

A huge majority also fear an Oct. 7-style attack emanating from the PA in Judea and Samaria.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

According to a new poll, a vast majority of Israelis oppose any deal in which Hamas could stay in power, The Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday.

In a survey conducted by Lazar Research on May 5-6 for the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA), an overwhelming 85% were against Hamas maintaining any kind of military power in the Gaza Strip, and 81% opposed any kind of civilian governmental role for the terrorist group.

Of the rest, most were undecided, with actual support for Hamas in any sense being only some 7%.

Over 60% say that if Hamas does maintain control, the evacuated communities on the Gazan border should not be repopulated due to the danger.

Fully 71% back U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza that entails American control and the voluntary relocation of its citizenry to other countries, with the number rising to 82% among the Jewish respondents.

At the same time, opposition to the Palestinian Authority (PA) taking over the Strip has fallen to 50% from the 60% who rejected the idea in March, but only a quarter of the respondents actually supported such a plan.

In addition, 66% overall, and 78% of the Jewish respondents, oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state along the 1967 lines, which includes Gaza.

The Jewish response marks a three percent rise from the February survey by the same company. This may have to do with the fact that the PA is not considered a trustworthy partner in combatting terrorism, which could be seen by the poll showing a significant jump in the number of Jewish Israelis fearful of an Oct. 7-style attack emanating from the PA-controlled territory in Judea and Samaria.

While in the February survey, 68% were concerned about such an attack, now fully four fifths (81%) of the Jewish respondents are now fearful. This stands in sharp contrast to the Arab Israeli opinion, where 53% said they were not concerned.

A poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, also conducted in early May in both Gaza and the PA, revealed Palestinian thinking on some of these issues.

The survey, conducted for the fifth time since the invasion of October 7, 2023, shows that a plurality overall (42%) are expecting Hamas to maintain control in the coastal enclave when the war with Israel ends, although in Gaza, only 28% still believe this will be the case.

Support for the PA governing Gaza has grown over time, although it still remains a minority view, with 40% in favor and 56% opposed.

Meanwhile, support for the terror organization’s decision to launch the attack 19 months ago was in decline.

Whereas in March 2024, 71% said it was the right decision, the number fell to 54% by September and now stands at 50%, including 38% of Gazans who still support it — although 75% said that one or more of their family members have been killed or injured during the war.

An overwhelming majority — 87% — still does not believe that Hamas carried out atrocities against civilians during the invasion, despite the video evidence of the attack that was provided by the terrorists.