Majority of Israelis believe US, not 'Israel', directs war on Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
Today 08:54
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A poll shows that most Israelis believe that "Israel" has become a "client state" of the United States.

United States President Donald Trump speaks upon departing a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in foreground, in the State Dining Room of the White House, on September 29, 2025, in Washington (AP)

A Channel 12 survey reveals that two-thirds of Israelis believe the United States, not "Israel", is steering military operations in Gaza, as public Israeli concern grows over "sovereignty, conscription, and political polarization."

The poll released on Friday evening by the Israeli broadcaster revealed that 67% of respondents said Washington is the main decision-maker in shaping "Israel’s" policies and the Israeli occupation forces' actions in Gaza. Only 24% said "Israel" remains in charge, while 9% were unsure.

'Israel': 'Client state' of the US

When asked whether "Israel" has effectively become a "client state" of the United States, 69% of respondents agreed. Nearly one-quarter (23%) said they "strongly agree" with the statement, while only 25% disagreed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly denied such claims, insisting on Sunday that "Israel" is a "sovereign state" and describing relations with Washington as a "partnership", not a dependency.

However, "Israel’s" reliance on the United States spans nearly every strategic domain. Washington provides billions in annual military aid, advanced weapon systems, and critical wartime resupplies that underpin "Israel’s" military capabilities.

Intelligence cooperation and joint command structures give the US a direct role in shaping operational decisions, while American diplomatic backing, particularly through UN vetoes, shields "Israel" from international condemnation.

Economically, close ties with US industries and markets further embed "Israel" within American strategic and technological frameworks, making Washington’s support indispensable.

Sharp divisions over military service, draft exemptions

Beyond questions of dependency, the Channel 12-Midgam Institute survey reflected a deeply fractured Israeli public on key social and political issues. A key flashpoint remains the escalating tensions over the mandatory draft of ultra-Orthodox men, a long-standing issue that has deepened divides.

A slim majority (51%) of Israelis said they support revoking voting rights from Israelis who do not perform military or "national service", with 32% expressing strong support. Meanwhile, 42% opposed the idea.

Opposition voters overwhelmingly backed the measure (68%), while nearly half of coalition supporters (49%) rejected it.

The poll found that 40% of respondents believe Likud MK Boaz Bismuth’s proposed conscription bill aims primarily to appease Haredi parties and bring them back into the ruling coalition, compared to 28% who believe it genuinely seeks to recruit ultra-Orthodox men into the military.

Bismuth’s bill

Bismuth’s proposed conscription bill seeks to gradually draft Haredi men into the occupation's military, aiming to enlist 50% of each age cohort within five years while recognizing the so-called "civilian‑security service" as fulfilling the obligation. The bill also introduces phased sanctions for draft evasion and defines criteria for Haredi status. The bill is criticized for creating an unequal system that favors Haredim over other Israelis, undermining the Israeli principle of universal military service.

On Thursday, roughly 200,000 Haredi men flooded the entrance to occupied al-Quds in a massive protest against conscription, following the arrest of over 870 ultra-Orthodox draft evaders, about 7% of the 6,975 officially classified as such in recent months.

A majority (53%) of Israelis said they would not vote for a party that supports continued exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox, compared to just 24% who said they would. Among opposition voters, the rejection reached 81%.

Israelis reject appointment of Netanyahu’s son

Finally, the poll found that 75% of Israelis oppose the possible appointment of Yair Netanyahu, the prime minister’s son, to a senior post in the World Zionist Organization. Sixty-one percent called such an appointment “completely inappropriate", including 58% of coalition voters.

Yair has been nominated for a senior post within the WZO, which is a powerful global body that promotes Zionist activity, manages relations with non-Israeli Jews, and channels funding to Israeli and settlement-related projects.

If confirmed, his position would grant him access to influential networks spanning Israeli politics and international Jewish institutions, as well as control over messaging and outreach to diaspora communities. The move is widely seen as politically advantageous for his father, potentially strengthening the Netanyahu family’s grip over Zionist institutions and bolstering the Prime Minister’s ideological base ahead of future political challenges.