Despite the schism, there was agreement between both groups that the best way to secure the release of the hostages was by exerting military pressure on Hamas.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF JANUARY 19, 2024 19:29
Israelis are split on whether the most important outcome of the Israel-Hamas War is to secure the release of the hostages or whether it is to achieve victory over Hamas, according to a recent “Panels” survey commissioned by the “Mothers’ March.”
The polling, which was conducted among Israelis on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, sought to examine the stances of the Israeli public on issues related to the hostages and the war.
Asked which is more important, obtaining the release of the hostages held by Hamas or achieving victory in the war against Hamas, a slight majority of 46.6% responded that it was more important that the hostages be released.
Just shy of that proportion, 44.8% said that the more important thing was winning the war against Hamas.
Military pressure as the best way to free the hostages
Despite the schism, however, there was agreement between both groups that the best way to secure the release of the hostages was by exerting military pressure on Hamas until it agreed to acceptable terms for the release of its captives.
More than four-fifths of respondents (81.5%) said putting military pressure on Hamas was the best way to achieve the hostages’ release. Only 10% said the best way was to cease military activities and attempt to negotiate with Hamas.
Similarly, despite that slight preference for the freedom of the hostages over winning the war, a large majority of Israelis affirmed that Israel should not agree to all of Hamas’s demands in order to free those hostages.
Specifically, while nearly three-quarters (72.9%) said Israel should not agree to all of Hamas’s demands, only 12.4% said that should.
An additional majority of respondents (70.5%) said Israel should not agree to withdraw IDF troops from Gaza to obtain the release of the hostages compared to 18.5% who said it should.
Nearly four-fifths (79.4%) of respondents said Israel should not agree to allow Hamas to remain in power to obtain the release of the hostages. Just 8.1% said it should.
Again, despite a slight majority saying that the primary goal of the Israel-Hamas War is to secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas, a larger proportion (47.2%) said that Israel shouldn’t agree to a long-term ceasefire in order to achieve this goal.
In opposition, 38.7% said that it should make such an agreement.
Most respondents (84.3%) noted that a long-term ceasefire with Hamas would make it very or somewhat difficult to achieve military victory against Hamas. Only 9.6% of respondents said a long-term ceasefire would not make it particularly difficult or easy to achieve victory.
With a strong majority of 71.9%, most survey respondents said that a long-term ceasefire implemented for the sake of securing the release of the hostages would result in more casualties among soldiers when the hostilities once again resume. Only 7.9% disagreed.
@Dreuvni
Good points
But reconstitute leadership of cabinet bring young fighting commanders in
End everything come in and out
Rein in Netanyahu. Let him organise and STFU
THIS WAR IS VERY SIMPLE TO WIN
My point is when you start giving attention to these polls you are losing the plot.
Israel tells what to do. That alone is leadership.
Far too much chattering.
Nothing gets into Gaza.
Give a way out even take over part of Sinai on temporary basis
The. Level Gaza
Flood destroy the tunnels
Not one Jewish life taken
Absolutely kick out the pollsters
War is War
How about choice C, that getting the hostages released AND victory over hamas are equal objectives.
I can only assume that these results are caused by the questions asked. Hamas must be eradicated along with the PA, PLO, IJ and all the rest of these Palestinian “organisations”. Anything less means that we need to repeat this maneuver in the near future.
We cannot count on help from abroad. Our best friend, USA, is definately agsinst us and are happy to see us mow the lawn again and again, best with a TSS that inevitably means that Israel has no control at all over the weapons and Jihadis that line up against us. Essentially, it looks as if they really want the Samson Option.
The EU has insisted on a cease-fire and the TSS for a long time now. Russia is happy to cause chaos, China and India couldn’t care less and the rest aren’t worth mentioning.
Getting the hostages back is very important – on our terms. Anything less means that the next hostage grab is being planned.
The IDF needs an urgent heart-searching session. They are still tied up in getting rid of Netanyahu as highest priority rather than defeating the war-time enemy. Some of the statements coming from the IDF high command sound as if they would rather accept defeat than continue to do their jobs.
Currently, Netanyahu seems to be the only one left in Israeli politics with two brain cells. The rest seem to have none. What the cabinets are proposing would be good methods to drive a company towards bankruptcy.