What Israelis Think about the War

MAARIV POLL–August 15, 2006
Telephone poll of a representative sample of 500 adult Israelis carried out by Teleseker. Statistical error +/- 4.4 percentage points.

Who do you think won the war? Hizbullah 15%, Israel 18%, No one 66%
Should Israel have agreed to the cease-fire? Yes 42%, No 53%
Will Israel’s situation vis-a-vis Hizbullah change? Improve 36%, Worsen 27%, No change 33%

Who do you think bears the responsibility for the failures found during the course of the fighting?
Chief of Staff Halutz 40%
Defense Minister Peretz 41%
Prime Minister Olmert 49%
Northern Commander Adam 18%
Nothing went wrong in the war 3%

Should the IDF have entered on the ground in Southern Lebanon? Yes 62%, No 32%
Should Israel kill Nasrallah, even at the cost of renewing the fighting? Yes 67%, No 28%
Should Israel bomb the Iranian nuclear core? Yes 63%, No 30%

Percent satisfied with the performance of:
Prime Minister Olmert, 40%,
Defense Minister Peretz, 28%
Chief Of Staff Dan Halutz, Satisfied 44%, Not satisfied 52%
IDF, Satisfied 81%, No satisfied 18%

Poll: YEDIOT AHRONOT–August 15, 2006
Telephone poll of a representative sample of 500 adult Israelis carried out by Dahaf. (Statistical error +/- 4.5 percentage points).

How do you rate the performance of the following during the war?
Prime Minister Olmert – Good 47%, Bad 51%
Minister of Defense Peretz – Good 36%, Bad 63%
Chief of Staff (COS) Dan Halutz – Good 49%, Bad 47%
Heads of IDF – Good 61%, Bad 32%
Government – Good 14%, Bad 84%
Soldiers and commanders – Good 94%, Bad 3%

Should the following resign from their positions?
Prime Minister Olmert – Yes 41%, No 56%
Minister of Defense Peretz – Yes 57%, No 41%
COS Dan Halutz – Yes 42%, No 54%

Should Israel have agreed to the cease-fire without the return of the soldiers taken hostage? Yes 27%, No 70%

Who won the war? Hizbullah 30%, Israel 30%, Neither 36%

Source: Israel Current News Update, Bridges for Peace