Israeli poll: Majority fear global backlash on travel
Shafaq News – Middle East
More than half of Israelis fear that the growing international backlash over the war in Gaza could limit their ability to travel abroad, according to a Channel 12 poll aired on Monday.
56% of respondents expressed concern about potential travel difficulties linked to global criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, 40% expressed no concern, and 4% were unsure.
The findings come amid a series of incidents involving Israeli tourists overseas, many of which have drawn attention in Israeli media.
Last week, an Israeli tourist reported being attacked on a beach in Athens, where a man bit off part of his ear while shouting, “Free Palestine, f*** Israel, I’m Hamas.”
Days earlier, a group of Israeli youths were reportedly pushed by pro-Palestinian demonstrators while vacationing on the Greek island of Rhodes. Separately, a cruise ship owned by an Israeli company was barred from docking at the Greek island of Syros and rerouted to Cyprus after a large protest at the port.
The poll also reflected growing dissatisfaction with Israeli leadership. 67% of the respondents felt government policies do not reflect their will, while 29% believed they do.
Even among voters backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, 44% said the government does not represent them. 51% responded that it does.
Asked about the ongoing hostage crisis, 62% of respondents favored a comprehensive deal to release all captives held in Gaza. 28% supported expanding the military campaign to fully occupy the enclave.
Just 4% backed a partial deal to release about half the hostages—an option reportedly discussed in indirect negotiations over recent months.
On the question of future policy in Gaza, 49% opposed building settlements in the territory, while 36% supported the idea. 15% were undecided.
Respondents also assessed the performance of top government officials. 55% rated Netanyahu’s leadership as “poor,” compared with 39% who described it as “good.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz received a negative rating from 53%, while 34% viewed his performance positively. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar was rated “poor” by 57%, and “good” by 25%.
