Half of Israelis oppose Netanyahu pardon as survey shows rising fear of new conflict

A new national survey shows that more Israelis oppose than support granting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a presidential pardon that would stop his criminal trial. According to the November 2025 Israeli Voice Index, published by the Israel Democracy Institute, half of Israelis are against a pardon, while 41 percent support one. Among Jewish Israelis, support stands at 43 percent, compared with 30 percent among Arab Israelis.

Political identity plays a major role in shaping views. Only a small minority on the left back a pardon, support rises modestly in the political centre, and a clear majority on the right say the president should intervene. Voting patterns from the 2022 election mirror this divide, with coalition voters strongly in favour and most opposition votes firmly against.

The survey also reveals growing concern about regional security. A clear majority of Jewish Israelis believe the planned US sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia would harm Israel’s security, while most Arab Israelis think the sale does not pose a threat. Many respondents across both communities expect a difficult year ahead, with large numbers predicting renewed fighting with Hezbollah and Iran and more than half saying they expect another round of conflict with Hamas. Almost half believe Israel may also be drawn into a confrontation with the Houthis in Yemen.

Fears of internal unrest are also on the rise. Nearly two-thirds of Jewish Israelis think a new Palestinian uprising in the West Bank is likely in the near future, compared with just over a third of Arab Israelis. Across the full sample, most respondents believe the situation could deteriorate.

The survey further shows rising frustration over settler violence. Forty-five percent of Israelis say security forces treat settlers involved in attacks on Palestinians too leniently, far outweighing those who believe authorities are too harsh or have struck the right balance. Among Jewish Israelis, the feeling that enforcement is too soft has grown since the summer, while among Arab Israelis it has dropped, with more now saying the response is appropriate.

Trust in national leadership remains low. More than half of Israelis say the country’s leaders are corrupt, a figure similar to that recorded in 2022. On the Jewish left and centre, perceptions of corruption have climbed to the highest levels the survey has ever recorded, while on the right, they have fallen since the change of government.

The past two years have also taken a much heavier toll on Arab Israelis than on Jewish Israelis. The survey found that more than four in five Arab respondents say recent events have hurt both their mental health and their financial stability. Jewish Israelis report lower levels of harm, though women in both communities were noticeably more likely than men to say their mental health has suffered.

The November 2025 Israeli Voice Index is based on responses from 757 adults, interviewed in Hebrew and Arabic by phone and online between 30 November and 3 December. The survey has a maximum margin of error of 3.56 percent.