Israelis Express War Fatigue as Majority Oppose Iran Ceasefire

Mon Apr 13 2026 23:19:30 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A new poll reveals that despite feeling weary from ongoing conflict, most Israelis reject the idea of a ceasefire with Iran, questioning the effectiveness of military actions and expressing skepticism towards peace negotiations.

Israelis are grappling with the emotional toll of prolonged conflict, as many are weary of war yet oppose a ceasefire with Iran. Recent polling data indicates that a majority believe the military campaigns have not weakened Iran or Hezbollah, and typical sentiments reflect despair and confusion. While some advocate for ongoing military action, a significant portion of the population desires a resolution but fears it won't come without addressing the threat posed by Hezbollah.

Standing next to the blown-out windows and cracked walls of her apartment in Tel Aviv, Liat Zvi voices an exasperation many Israelis say they feel. It's depressing… we've been in war for two and a half years and this just feels like another round, she sighs. Six weeks ago, her central neighborhood was among many locations where Tehran delivered its response to US-Israeli attacks. An Iranian missile evaded Israel's multi-tiered air defense and smashed into a residential building, killing 32-year-old carer Mary Anne Velasquez de Vera from the Philippines. This was the first fatality in Israel during the war with Iran – a conflict that's currently on a precarious pause.

Now, like many of her fellow Israelis, Zvi is asking herself what this conflict actually achieved for her country and is finding it hard to contemplate what happens next. It's too much for me to look ahead - it's really hard. New polling by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem points to a war-weariness among Israelis. But it also suggests two thirds oppose the current tentative truce between Washington and Tehran. The vast majority surveyed said they believed neither Iran nor Hezbollah in Lebanon had been severely weakened by the recent US and Israeli bombardment.

Despair was the word a third of respondents chose when asked to describe their current emotion, followed by confusion and anger. Hope was fourth. Despite deep skepticism of the success of the military action, polling suggests the public is divided on whether Israel should continue to strike Iran. Some 39.5% said attacks on Tehran must continue and 41.4% said the ceasefire should be respected.

Polling throughout the war with Iran has reflected a split between Israel's Jewish majority and Arab minority. In a poll published at the start of the conflict by the Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), a majority of the Arab public (61%) said they wanted a ceasefire as soon as possible. Another survey published mid-March by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) showed 93% of Jews supporting the war on Iran compared to 26% of Arabs.

As negotiations continue, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that significant military objectives have been achieved, while critics argue he has failed to realize any of his war goals. The upcoming parliamentary elections could reflect the shifting sentiments of a war-weary population as Netanyahu's popularity appears to be declining.

It's a complex and evolving situation with many Israelis feeling trapped between the desire for peace and the perceived necessity of ongoing military action against what they view as an immediate threat to their national security.