Israelis split on joining possible US strike on Iran, survey finds |
Israelis are almost evenly split over whether the country should take part in a potential US attack on Iran, according to a new survey published Tuesday by the Israel Democracy Institute, conducted amid heightened tensions with the Islamic Republic.
The poll — conducted January 25-29 among a representative sample of 755 Jewish and Arab adults — found that 50 percent of respondents believe Israel should only strike Iran if Tehran attacks Israel first, while 44% support direct military participation with Washington against the Islamic Republic from the outset.
Among Jewish respondents, support for Israeli participation in an attack on Iran was somewhat higher, with 48% backing involvement from the beginning, compared to 46% who favored joining only in response to an Iranian attack. Arab respondents, by contrast, showed a much clearer preference for conditional involvement: 67% said Israel should participate only if Iran attacks Israel.
Political orientation also emerged as a key dividing factor. In the Jewish sample, majorities on the political left (63%) and in the center (55%) supported participation only if Iran strikes first, while on the right, a majority (55%) favored direct involvement from the outset.
The survey also examined public reactions to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that Israel intends to taper off US military aid to zero over the next decade, with the premier saying he wants Israel to be “as independent as........