Haaretz Podcast Will the Iran war bring Netanyahu a triumph at the polls? | Dahlia Scheindlin on Israeli voters
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Mar 20, 2026 Dahlia Scheindlin, political analyst and Haaretz columnist who studies public opinion in Israel and the U.S., breaks down why Israelis overwhelmingly support the Iran campaign yet polling for Netanyahu’s coalition stays flat. She contrasts Israeli and American views, explores risks of a prolonged quagmire, and examines partisan divides in U.S. reactions, especially among Republicans.
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Israel Sees Iran As Central Threat
- Israelis view Iran as the source of regional threats linking Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, which drives near-universal support for military action.
- Dahlia Scheindlin cites sustained messaging and proximity of attacks as reasons Israeli Jews show ~93% support in early polls.
Deep Jewish Arab Divide On The War
- Support for the Iran war is a sharp Jewish–Arab split: about 93% of Israeli Jews back it while around 25% of Palestinian citizens support it.
- Scheindlin notes Institute for National Security Studies polls slightly lower (78–81%) but similar consensus among Jews.
Netanyahu Trusted On War But Lacks Political Ceiling
- Netanyahu enjoys higher trust specifically on handling the Iran war (50–64% depending on poll) but his overall political ceiling remains ~40%.
- Scheindlin cites head-to-head PM matchups and simulated election seat totals showing coalition stuck under majority.