Israeli Public Opinion Polls:
Attitudes Toward Iran

(Updated November 2013)

Israeli Polls: Table of Contents | Peace Index Polls | Polls of Israeli Arabs

“Do you Support or Oppose a Unilateral Israeli Attack on Iran's Nuclear Facilities?”*

“Yes or No: A Nuclear-Armed Iran Constitutes an Existential Threat to Israel?”*

“Do you Support or Oppose an International Attack on Iran's Nuclear Facilities?”*

Do you believe Iran will halt its nuclear program following the interim agreement with the P5+1?
              (New Wave Research, November 2013)

Will Not Halt	76.4%
Will Halt	12.6%
Don't Know	11%

Should Israel support or oppose an agreement being developed with Iran?
              (Israel Hayom, November 2013)

Support	16%
Oppose	66%
Don't Know	18%

According to media reports, Israel's senior security echelon, including the Chief of Staff and the heads of the Mossad and the Israel Security Agency, currently oppose an Israeli attack on Iran. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Barak, however, say that sanctions on Iran are not helping and it is necessary to act before Iran attains nuclear weapons capability. On this issue, on whose judgment do you rely more? (Peace Index, July 2012)

Some claim that Netanyahu and Barak’s statements that Israel will attack Iran by itself if it has no other choice are just a bluff aimed at pressuring the Americans to act more resolutely against the Iranian threat. Others claim that their statements reflect their real intention—to attack Iran. With which claim do you agree more? (Peace Index, July 2012)

In his most recent visit, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta claimed that the sanctions on Iran are starting to have an effect and promised that “Iran will never have nuclear weapons.” Do you think Israel can or cannot rely on Panetta’s promise? (Peace Index, July 2012)

Some claim that apparently, it will be impossible to prevent Iran from nuclearizing in the long term, and therefore Israel should come to terms with this and devise a defense strategy based on the assumption that it is not the only nuclear state in the region. Do you agree or not agree with this approach? (Peace Index, July 2012)

Does the forming of a national unity government advance the struggle of Israel against the Iranian nuclear program? (TNS for Maariv, May 8, 2012)

Would the price Israel would have to pay for living with the threat of an Iranian bomb be greater than the price it would pay for attacking Iran's nuclear facilities? (JCPA, March 26, 2012)

Only military action could stop Iran's nuclear program? (JCPA, March 26, 2012)

Do you agree or disagree with the statement that the Israeli home front will suffer equally whether Israel attacks Iran or the United States does? (JCPA, March 26, 2012)

Do you think that the Israel Defense Forces could significantly damage Iran's nuclear program? (JCPA, March 26, 2012)

Do you agree with the statement that if Iran develops nuclear weapons, it will use them against Israel? (JCPA, March 26, 2012)

Do you think that if Iran develops nuclear weapons, the Palestinians and Hizbullah will grow more belligerent toward Israel? (JCPA, March 26, 2012)

Assuming that Iran is both able and intending to produce nuclear weapons, and assuming that Israel, according to various sources, also has nuclear weapons, what in your opinion are the chances that once Iran has nuclear weapons, it will use them against Israel? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012)

In your opinion, will the sanctions now being imposed by Western countries cause or not cause Iran to stop its development of nuclear weapons? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012)

In your opinion what are the chances that Israel will carry out a strike soon, even without cooperation with the United States? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012; August 8, 2012)

In your assessment, what are the chances that such an attack, conducted without U.S. cooperation, would succeed in stopping Iran's nuclearization for a substantial period of time? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012; August 8, 2012)

If an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities is carried out with U.S. cooperation, what, in your assessment, are the chances that such an attack would succeed in stopping Iran’s nuclearization for a substantial time? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012; August 8, 2012)

Defense Minister Barak recently said that in case of an attack on Iran, if Israeli citizens obey instructions and remain in their homes, Iran’s retaliatory strikes will probably cause only about 500 casualties. In your eyes, is this prediction about casualties more or less accurate, or will there be more or fewer casualties than this number? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012)

If the number of Israeli casualties is in the thousands, and assuming that the objective of a successful strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities is achieved, in your opinion, would Israel's national resilience be able to withstand this or not? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012)

The media recently reported that in his upcoming meeting with President Obama, President Peres will express opposition to an Israeli attack on Iran. In your opinion, it is or is it not appropriate for Peres to take a public stand on this issue as President of Israel? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012)

There has been increased talk of a military strike by Israel against Iran's nuclear facilities, even though the United States, the UK and Germany have advised against it. What do you think Israel should do? (Brookings, February 26, 2012)

What do you believe the likely outcome would be if Israel strikes Iran? (Brookings, February 26, 2012)

Given America's recommendation that Israel not strike Iran, what do you believe the U.S. government's reaction would be if Israel strikes anyway? (Brookings, February 26, 2012)

In your estimation, how long would an armed conflict with Iran last if Israel strikes its nuclear facilities? (Brookings, February 26, 2012)

If Israel strikes Iran's nuclear facilities, in your view, how would this affect the Iranian government? (Brookings, February 26, 2012)

If Israel strikes, what do you think Hezbollah would do? (Brookings, February 26, 2012)

Attitudes among Jewish Israelis: (Peace Index, December 14, 2011)

Which would be better: for both Israel and Iran to have nuclear weapons, or for neither to have nuclear weapons? (World Public Opinion, December 1, 2011)

Do you think that sanctions by the West will prevent Iran from making nuclear weapons? (Israel Hayom, November 22, 2011)

Are you confident in the decisions made in the Iranian matter by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Barak? (Haaretz, November 2, 2011)

Should there be public discussion of the attack or does this cause damage? (Haaretz, November 2, 2011)

What are the chances that attacking Iran will cause a war against Hezbollah and Hamas? (Haaretz, November 2, 2011)

If Iran gets an atomic bomb will you consider leaving Israel? (Haaretz, November 2, 2011)

The following percent of Israelis... (Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University, May 22, 2009)

The following percent of Israelis, based on self-identified political and religious alignment and age, are fearful of Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon (Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University, May 22, 2009)

The following percent of Israelis, based on age, would immigrate should Iran acquire a nuclear weapon (Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University, May 22, 2009)

The following percent of Israelis, based on self-identified religious and political and gender orientations, favor attacking Iran (Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University, May 22, 2009)

Do you count on the USA and on the Europeans to succeed in stopping the nuclear program of Iran by peaceful means and via UN Security Council resolutions? (Maariv, November 24, 2006)

Do you think that in the end, even if it is a matter of taking a number of years, the Iranians will succeed in their efforts to get nuclear weapons? (Maariv, November 24, 2006)

If Iran succeeds in attaining military nuclear capability, will you consider leaving the country? (Maariv, November 24, 2006)

Should Israel attack Iran even if it expects an Iranian response that will cost dearly in losses, and the resulting postponement in the Iranian nuclear program will be for only a short period? (Maariv, November 24, 2006)