A new opinion poll shows that most Israelis, both Jewish and Arab, do not believe that "absolute victory" over Hamas is possible in the ongoing war in Gaza. The poll, conducted by the Israeli Democracy Institute during the war, was highlighted by "The Times of Israel" on Wednesday.
The poll found that 51% of Jewish participants and 77.5% of Arab Israelis believe there is a "low probability that the war will end in victory over Hamas." According to the political orientations of the participants, 84% of the left, 63% of the center, and 55% of the right agreed that the likelihood of "absolute victory" over Hamas is low.
These findings come after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated earlier in February that Israel is "close to absolute victory." Israel has repeatedly declared that it will not end the war in Gaza until it has eliminated Hamas, and has vowed to expand its attacks to include the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt, which is densely populated by about 1.5 million displaced persons.
On another note, the poll showed that 63% of Jewish Israelis oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, while 73% of Arab Israelis support it. Netanyahu strongly rejects the concept of establishing a Palestinian state, despite international pressures, particularly from the United States, in this regard.
