Poll finds Israelis don't believe charges of excessive force

Peace Index poll shows Israelis overwhelmingly approve of gov't performance; survey finds that Israeli Jews are overwhelmingly opposed to a cease-fire.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
IDF soldiers stand atop a tank near the border with Gaza. [File] (photo credit: REUTERS)
IDF soldiers stand atop a tank near the border with Gaza. [File]
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Less than 4 percent of Israeli Jews accept accusations from the international community that the IDF has used excessive firepower in the Gaza Strip during Operation Protective Edge, according to the monthly Peace Index poll sponsored by the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University.
The poll was conducted in three stages during the operation. On July 14, 246 Israeli adults were surveyed, 185 on July 16-17, and 216 on July 23.
In none of the stages of polling did more than 3.8% say the IDF used excessive force. The balance believed that the IDF used an appropriate level of firepower (between 37% and 60% in the three phases) or insufficient firepower (33% to 57%).
Israeli Jews have been consistently nearly unanimous in their view of Operation Protective Edge as justified – an average of 95% over the course of the three phases.
When asked to rate the government’s performance throughout Operation Protective Edge on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being very poor and 10 being very good, the average ratings were 8, 6.3, and 8, respectively.
Like other polls, the Peace Index found that Israeli Jews were overwhelmingly opposed to a unilateral cease-fire. Eighty percent opposed one and two-thirds opposed a bilateral cease-fire to buy time to discuss conditions for maintaining quiet.
Only a cease-fire that would take effect after an agreement for sustaining quiet was reached attracted a majority of Jews, some 60%.
Regarding the outcome of Operation Protective Edge, a majority said there will be another round of battle with Hamas – 77%, 65%, and 50% in the three polls.
A minority believe that a longterm quiet, like the one that was achieved on the northern border after the 2006 Second Lebanon War, will be achieved – 8%, 16%, and 30%, respectively.