Inside Israel, Netanyahu’s poll numbers improving despite US rupture

JERUSALEM — Almost six months into the war in Gaza, opinion polls in Israel indicate a certain recovery in public support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Netanyahu is facing a crisis in confidence among the electorate, which is reflected in polling, despite the fact that his numbers have gone up slightly recently.

The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) has been monitoring the public's attitudes toward the country’s political and military leadership through in-depth surveys since the start of the war on Oct. 7. Its latest poll results, issued on March 26, suggested a slight increase in support for the prime minister at 32% among the Jewish public. In October, right after the Hamas attack, Netanyahu hit a historic low of 24% and a month later, in November, scored slightly higher at 26.5%. 

A recent poll published by the Maariv newspaper on March 22 shows a slight decrease in public support for Netanyahu’s Likud party, which, according to the poll, would reap 17 Knesset seats if elections were held today, compared to its current 32. Still, public support of Netanyahu himself has not changed and remains steady at 34%.