64% of Israelis Oppose Palestinian State for Saudi Normalization Deal

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Twitter Screenshot) (Twitter Screenshot)

A third of Israelis who thought, before October 7th, that a Palestinian State could be viable under certain conditions now oppose it entirely.

By Shula Rosen

According to a survey conducted by the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs (JCFA), 64% of Israelis said they were opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian State as part of an agreement to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia.

The full report will be unveiled at the 13th Annual Jerusalem Post Conference in New York next week.

Negotiations to establish diplomatic and economic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia were progressing before Hamas’s invasion of Israel on October 7th.

However, the Saudis indicated that the establishment of a Palestinian State was a condition for normalization.

During the war, there has been some indication that talks could resume.

However, recently, Riyadh expressed concerns over Jerusalem’s unwillingness to consider a two-state solution, and there is evidence that the Israeli public has cooled on the notion since the beginning of the war.

Although there is still a significant disparity in how a Palestinian State is viewed by Israelis of different political persuasions, the survey indicated that more Israelis since October 7th are opposed to the notion.

A third of Israelis who thought, before October 7th, that a Palestinian State could be viable under certain conditions now oppose it entirely.

Among Israelis aged 60 and above, support for a demilitarized Palestinian state fell from 44% to 32%. Among those with academic degrees, the number fell from 29% to 20%, and among Israelis with higher incomes, support for a Palestinian State dropped from 33% to 20%.

Younger Israelis–70% of those between 18 and 29 — oppose a Palestinian state. Traditional, religious, and ultra-orthodox are against Palestinian statehood at a rate of 74%, 88%, and 91%, respectively, and 54% of secular Israelis are against it.

The Biden Administration has urged Israel to accept a scenario in which the Palestinian Authority would govern Gaza after the war.

However, Dr. Dan Diker, president of the JCPA, said, “The Israeli government and Knesset have rejected the idea of a Palestinian state as a solution, especially as a reward for Palestinian terror or as a post-Hamas solution.”

He added, “Public opinion polls now reflect the Israeli public’s understanding of the issue’s significance after October 7.”

Given the Biden administration’s policy, it is crucial to convey this message to both Israel’s elected officials and decision-makers in the White House,” Diker concluded.