According to a survey published on Thursday, 63% of Israelis are dissatisfied with the war results, and 77% wish to continue the fight against Hezbollah.
The ceasefire with Iran leaves a bitter taste in Israel. According to a poll published by the newspaper Maariv and conducted by the Lazar Research Institute, 63% of Israelis are unsatisfied with the war results. Furthermore, despite official statements, 46% believe that Israel and the United States did not win the conflict, compared to only 22% who see it as a victory. After several weeks of escalation with Iran, marked by deep strikes and missile attacks on Israeli territory, the truce appears more like a pause in an unfinished war than a conclusion.
The halt to fighting occurred under strong American pressure, initiated by Donald Trump, while the government of Benjamin Netanyahu advocated for escalating the conflict. The Israeli government pushed to intensify strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure, seen as the heart of the regime’s economy, to achieve a strategic shift. The truce thus freezes a dynamic that the government wanted to continue, without achieving a decisive weakening of Tehran or any tangible diplomatic progress.
Frustration is even more evident regarding the northern front, where the Israeli army invaded southern Lebanon to eradicate Hezbollah, a Shiite armed group loyal to Iran. While Netanyahu’s government announced a restart of negotiations under American pressure, 77% of Israelis wish to continue the war until objectives are met. In Israel, Hezbollah is seen as the main threat, especially in northern regions within range of the group’s missiles and drones.
The survey highlights a now-classic division in Israeli public opinion: trust in the army remains high, but the ability of political leaders to translate military gains into strategic results is contested. The ceasefire reignites a criticism seen after Gaza conflict or previous Lebanon wars: an undeniable military superiority but persistent difficulty in translating it into lasting political gains.
[Context: The article discusses public sentiment in Israel regarding the recent ceasefire with Iran and the desire to continue the fight against Hezbollah.] [Fact Check: The information presented is based on a survey and public statements made by political figures in Israel.]
