Nearly 92 per cent of respondents in an Israeli survey said Iran emerged stronger from the recent conflict and subsequent US-Iran agreement, while a majority expressed doubts about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s handling of the war.
The findings point to a sharp gap between the government’s narrative of military success and public perceptions of the conflict’s outcome.
The poll, conducted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in collaboration with the Agam Institute between June 17 and 20, surveyed 3,644 respondents and paints a grim picture for Netanyahu’s government following the US-Iran deal, news agency AFP reported.
An overwhelming 92.1 per cent of respondents said Iran had either won the conflict or gained more from it than Israel. At the same time, 82.9 per cent felt that Israel’s long-term security had been weakened by the war and its aftermath.
The perception that Iran came out ahead was not limited to opposition supporters. Among voters aligned with the right-wing bloc that forms Netanyahu’s political base, 93.1 per cent also believed Iran had emerged stronger.
The US-Iran agreement itself found little support among Israelis. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed, 63.2 per cent, opposed the deal, while only 12.1 per cent backed it.
Netanyahu’s claims questioned
The findings also point to a sharp erosion of confidence in Netanyahu’s leadership. About 72.5 per cent of respondents said they did not believe the prime minister’s claims regarding the achievements of the military campaign against Iran.
More than half of those surveyed, 56.4 per cent, rated Netanyahu’s management of the conflict as either “failed” or “poor”, reflecting growing public dissatisfaction with the government’s conduct during the crisis.
The political fallout appears to be affecting Netanyahu’s standing as well. Support for him as prime minister dropped from 40.5 per cent in early March to 29.4 per cent in June, according to the survey.
Despite criticism of the Iran campaign and the subsequent agreement, support for military action against Hezbollah remains relatively strong. Nearly half of respondents, 48.2 per cent, said they would back a renewed large-scale military operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon even if it risked tensions with Washington. Only 21 per cent opposed such a move.
The survey was released as negotiations aimed at converting the temporary US-Iran agreement into a longer-term arrangement were set to resume in Switzerland on Sunday.
The talks come amid continued instability in Lebanon. Washington announced a renewed ceasefire on Friday after clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, with both sides accusing each other of violating the truce.
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Latest updates on US-Iran talks
The poll comes as senior US and Iranian officials met in Switzerland on Sunday to begin negotiations on a longer-term agreement covering Tehran’s nuclear programme, oil exports and regional security.
The talks follow a temporary US-Iran deal announced earlier this week and are being held amid concerns that renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon could undermine the diplomatic process. Iranian officials have linked progress in the negotiations to a sustained ceasefire in Lebanon, while Washington has expressed optimism that the talks can produce a broader framework agreement within the next 60 days.
(With inputs from AFP)
