Poll: Majority of Israelis support a full exchange deal and an end to the war

A new poll broadcast by the Israeli Channel 13 on Friday evening revealed that 71.6% of Israelis support a full exchange deal that includes ending the war on the Gaza Strip and returning all hostages.

The poll results came in response to statements made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week, in which he said that polls about the deal are fabricated and misleading the public, according to channel 13.

The poll showed that only 13.4% of Israelis prefer to continue the war without any deal, while 5.9% said they support a partial deal.

Regarding the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) conscription crisis, 63.3% of Israelis, according to the same poll, said Netanyahu makes his decisions based on pleasing the Haredim and preserving the government coalition, while only 18.4% said the prime minister prioritizes the needs of the military and the principle of equal burden.

Also, 45.5% of respondents confirmed that this issue would significantly influence their vote in the upcoming elections.

The Haredim continue their protests against military service following a Supreme Court ruling on June 25, 2024, requiring them to enlist and prohibiting financial assistance to religious institutions whose students refuse military service.

The voices of the chief rabbis, whose statements are viewed as religious edicts for the Haredim, are growing louder, calling for refusal to be drafted and even for the tearing up of summons orders.

The Haredim constitute approximately 13% of Israel’s 10 million population.

They refuse military service, claiming to dedicate their lives to Torah study, asserting that integration into secular society poses a threat to their religious identity and the continuity of their community.

For decades, members of the community have been able to avoid conscription upon reaching the age of 18 by obtaining repeated deferments under the pretext of studying at religious institutes, until they reach the age of exemption from service, which is currently 26.

The opposition accuses Netanyahu of seeking to pass a law exempting Haredim from military service, in response to demands from the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties, which are members of the governing coalition, with the aim of preserving the stability of his government and preventing its collapse.

These developments come as Israel, with US support, continues to wage a war of genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.