Majority of Israelis are against re-establishing settlements, annexing Gaza, according to recent poll

More than half of a group of 1,800 Israelis say they are against the idea of Israel annexing the Gaza Strip and re-establishing settlements, according to a recent poll conducted by Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

The results of the survey published on Sunday revealed that about 56% of Israelis are against the idea of re-establishing settlements that were dismantled when Israel implemented a complete Disengagement Plan, evacuating the Gaza Strip in 2005. Only 33% of respondents were in favor of annexation and settlements, while 11% said they were not sure.

The idea of re-establishing Gaza’s Gush Katif settlements, which the Israeli government dismantled completely when it left Gaza in 2005, has been floated around by members of the government coalition, such as Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu. Last week, he stated that Israel “should fully occupy the Gaza Strip” after the war.

“Anyone who is today selling the idea that [the Palestinians] can go back to running things, doesn’t remember what happened on [October 7],” Eliyahu told Kan public radio.

The poll also found that approximately 23% of Israelis support a coalition of moderate Arab states being in charge of Gaza temporarily after the war, while 22% said they were in favor of Israeli military rule and 18% would like to see an international force take charge of the territory.

Another 18% were in favor of Israel annexing Gaza, while 11% said they want the Palestinian Authority to run the Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel should be in charge of security in Gaza but has not brought up the idea of annexing the Gaza Strip or the re-establishment of settlements.

However, he did emphasize that Washington’s idea to let the Palestinian Authority (PA) run the Gaza Strip after the war is an “illusion” and reiterated that the two-state solution is dead.

“Among friends, it’s important not to foster illusions,” Netanyahu said during a press conference on Saturday night.

“I’m proud that I prevented the establishment of a Palestinian state because today everybody understands what that Palestine state could have been, now that we’ve seen the little Palestinian state in Gaza. Everyone understands what would have happened if we had capitulated to international pressures and enabled a state like that in Judea and Samaria, surrounding Jerusalem and on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.”

Netanyahu said he would not allow Hamas-ruled Gaza to become ruled by the Fatah party, led by Mahmoud Abbas.

“I will not allow for Hamastan to be switched with Fatahstan; that we exchange Khan Younis for Jenin,” he said, referring to Fatah, which controls the PA in Judea and Samaria.

Regarding the reconstruction of Gaza, the United Arab Emirates stated it would not help with the rebuilding of Gaza unless there is progress towards a two-state solution, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The Israel Democracy Institute conducted a poll of roughly 800 people late in November which found that more than half of all Israeli Jews oppose a two-state solution.

When asked if Israel should agree or not agree to pursue the two-state solution in order to continue receiving assistance from the United States, the results were reported as follows: “A breakdown by political orientation in the Jewish sample reveals that only on the Left is there a majority (75%) who support making progress toward a two-state solution to the conflict in return for American assistance, as part of the plan put forward by President Biden. In the Center, this course of action is supported by a large minority (45%), and on the Right, only by a small minority (21%).”