Israeli public split on how to respond to Iran strike

Throughout the six months that Israel has been fighting in Gaza, the public has overwhelmingly supported the war effort, with the vast majority of Israelis backing the goal to destroy Hamas and free the hostages still held in the enclave.

But there is no such consensus on how to respond to the threat from Iran, whose strike on Israel in the early hours of Sunday has revived fears that the hostilities that have engulfed the Middle East since Hamas’s October 7 attack could escalate into a regional conflict.

A poll carried out by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem this week found 52 per cent of Israelis thought the country should not respond to the drone-and-missile barrage — the first time the Islamic republic has targeted the Jewish state directly from its own soil — but instead close the current round of hostilities.

The rest thought Israel should retaliate, even at the risk of extending the current round.

“Everyone is on board with the [Gaza war] goals. But we see a very different path here” with Iran, said Nimrod Zeldin, from Agam Labs at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which conducted the study.

“Iran is more complicated.”

The Islamic regime launched its barrage in retaliation for the suspected Israeli strike this month at its consulate in Syria, which killed several senior members of the elite Revolutionary Guard.

The split in the Israeli public has been mirrored by the tortuous debate within the country’s five-person war cabinet led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Some anal…  ysts have suggested the window for an imminent response may be narrowing, with the Jewish holiday of Passover set to start on Monday, and Israelis travelling to be with their families across the country.

According to one government official, the war cabinet, which includes defence minister Yoav Gallant and former opposition politician and military chief Benny Gantz, has taken a decision “in principle” to retaliate against Iran.

The split in the Israeli public has been mirrored by the tortuous debate within the country’s five-person war cabinet led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Some analysts have suggested the window for an imminent response may be narrowing, with the Jewish holiday of Passover set to start on Monday, and Israelis travelling to be with their families across the country.