Posts
A fresh poll from Agam Labs and Hebrew University lays it bare: 83% of Israeli Jews and 70% of the whole country back the shock-and-awe campaign that kicked off Friday night to gut Iran’s nukes and missiles. Only 1% of Jews and 16% overall are still clinging to the pipe dream of “let’s talk it out” with Tehran.
Airstrikes are a crowd-pleaser: over 90% are all in for hammering Iran’s nuclear sites, with 54% of Jews and nearly half the public say keep pounding, even if the U.S. and allies stop playing goalie against Iran’s missile barrages. Still, two-thirds call the U.S.-Israel bromance “critical” for survival, and only 30% would tell Trump to shove it if he pushed for a deal to end the war.
“There’s a rock-solid consensus: we had to hit Iran, and we ain’t stopping,” says Nimrod Nir, Agam Labs’ head honcho. “Half the country’s ready to keep swinging without U.S. backup, even if they’re not sure we can seal the deal alone.”
Netanyahu’s out here projecting incredible energy, saying Israel can handle its business without help. But whispers from the brass admit only U.S. bunker-busters can truly turn Iran’s nuke dreams into rubble. They’re begging Trump for the heavy artillery, like bunker-busters, for example.
This war’s been a gut-punch. Iran’s ballistic missiles and drones have killed to date 24, wounded hundreds, displaced thousands, and turned daily life into a nightmare. Schools have been shuttered, businesses tanking, yet, Israelis aren’t cowering. The poll says pride and hope are outmuscling fear and despair two-to-one. The air force [IAF] and Mossad are gods right now, with “very high” trust, while the military and emergency crews aren’t far behind.
Bar Shalev Nathan, a 34-year-old marketing analyst from Tzofim in the West Bank, is living the war’s grind. She’s hunkered down in a public shelter with her husband, three kids, and four other families, hot, buggy, sleeping on thin mattresses. “I really don’t mind spending another 30 or 60 nights sleeping on the floor in a shelter, if this means we will eliminate the Iranian threat,” she says, steely-eyed. “I’m not hopeful. I’m confident. I’m so sure we’ve got this, and it’s going to be sweet in the end.”
Military leaders are talking a week or two to crush Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Yuval Shamir, a 35-year-old Tel Aviv engineer, shrugs off Iran’s retaliation as weak sauce, even with two missiles hitting near his place. Mid-siren, he doubles down: “It doesn’t matter how many of us they kill now. If we let them get the bomb, they will kill us all.”
The poll splits down the middle on whether the endgame’s total victory or a beefier diplomatic deal, and if Israel can finish Iran’s nukes without Uncle Sam. But with the stakes this high, most say there’s no choice but to try. Another poll from the Israel Democracy Institute backs this up: 69% of Jews and 63% overall say Israel was right to pull the trigger, even knowing the U.S. might be needed to close the deal.
Shalev Nathan’s not mincing words: “Eliminate all the ballistic missile capability that Iran currently has, and of course, demolish every part of the nuclear program.” Or, as she puts it, quoting Trump, Iran could opt for “unconditional surrender.” She’s bullish: “I think we can definitely succeed even without U.S. help. It will be much harder and probably take much longer, but we can and we definitely should do it.”
Shamir’s got no time for naysayers saying Israel can’t crack Iran’s fortified sites like Fordow. “We have ways to do it ourselves, even if it takes many bombs or soldiers on the ground,” he says. “I’m sure we have a plan.”
But Eyal Barad, a 42-year-old engineer from Kiryat Gat, isn’t so sure. He doubts Israel can breach Fordow without U.S. bunker-busters. Worse, he’s betting Iran’s mullahs will rebuild their nuke program, deal or no deal. Only regime change—something Israel’s starting to cozy up to—might stop Iran’s “genocidal crusade” against the Jewish state. “Changing the regime in a different country usually doesn’t end well,” Barad admits. “But if we leave the regime in place, we will only have succeeded to hurt their pride, and five years from now, they will attack us without warning.”
Israelis are riding a wave of defiance, ready to take on Iran alone if they must. But the shadow of U.S. support, or its absence, looms large. They’re betting on victory, and they’re not blinking.
Airstrikes are a crowd-pleaser: over 90% are all in for hammering Iran’s nuclear sites, with 54% of Jews and nearly half the public say keep pounding, even if the U.S. and allies stop playing goalie against Iran’s missile barrages. Still, two-thirds call the U.S.-Israel bromance “critical” for survival, and only 30% would tell Trump to shove it if he pushed for a deal to end the war.
The poll, which questioned 1,057 Israelis Sunday and Monday with a 4.2% margin of error, screams one thing: Israel’s ready to go solo if it means neutralizing Iran’s existential threat—but they’d rather not.
“There’s a rock-solid consensus: we had to hit Iran, and we ain’t stopping,” says Nimrod Nir, Agam Labs’ head honcho. “Half the country’s ready to keep swinging without U.S. backup, even if they’re not sure we can seal the deal alone.”
Netanyahu’s out here projecting incredible energy, saying Israel can handle its business without help. But whispers from the brass admit only U.S. bunker-busters can truly turn Iran’s nuke dreams into rubble. They’re begging Trump for the heavy artillery, like bunker-busters, for example.
This war’s been a gut-punch. Iran’s ballistic missiles and drones have killed to date 24, wounded hundreds, displaced thousands, and turned daily life into a nightmare. Schools have been shuttered, businesses tanking, yet, Israelis aren’t cowering. The poll says pride and hope are outmuscling fear and despair two-to-one. The air force [IAF] and Mossad are gods right now, with “very high” trust, while the military and emergency crews aren’t far behind.
Bar Shalev Nathan, a 34-year-old marketing analyst from Tzofim in the West Bank, is living the war’s grind. She’s hunkered down in a public shelter with her husband, three kids, and four other families, hot, buggy, sleeping on thin mattresses. “I really don’t mind spending another 30 or 60 nights sleeping on the floor in a shelter, if this means we will eliminate the Iranian threat,” she says, steely-eyed. “I’m not hopeful. I’m confident. I’m so sure we’ve got this, and it’s going to be sweet in the end.”
Military leaders are talking a week or two to crush Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Yuval Shamir, a 35-year-old Tel Aviv engineer, shrugs off Iran’s retaliation as weak sauce, even with two missiles hitting near his place. Mid-siren, he doubles down: “It doesn’t matter how many of us they kill now. If we let them get the bomb, they will kill us all.”
The poll splits down the middle on whether the endgame’s total victory or a beefier diplomatic deal, and if Israel can finish Iran’s nukes without Uncle Sam. But with the stakes this high, most say there’s no choice but to try. Another poll from the Israel Democracy Institute backs this up: 69% of Jews and 63% overall say Israel was right to pull the trigger, even knowing the U.S. might be needed to close the deal.
Shalev Nathan’s not mincing words: “Eliminate all the ballistic missile capability that Iran currently has, and of course, demolish every part of the nuclear program.” Or, as she puts it, quoting Trump, Iran could opt for “unconditional surrender.” She’s bullish: “I think we can definitely succeed even without U.S. help. It will be much harder and probably take much longer, but we can and we definitely should do it.”
Shamir’s got no time for naysayers saying Israel can’t crack Iran’s fortified sites like Fordow. “We have ways to do it ourselves, even if it takes many bombs or soldiers on the ground,” he says. “I’m sure we have a plan.”
But Eyal Barad, a 42-year-old engineer from Kiryat Gat, isn’t so sure. He doubts Israel can breach Fordow without U.S. bunker-busters. Worse, he’s betting Iran’s mullahs will rebuild their nuke program, deal or no deal. Only regime change—something Israel’s starting to cozy up to—might stop Iran’s “genocidal crusade” against the Jewish state. “Changing the regime in a different country usually doesn’t end well,” Barad admits. “But if we leave the regime in place, we will only have succeeded to hurt their pride, and five years from now, they will attack us without warning.”
Barad has skin in the game. He lived in Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the hardest-hit spots in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, slaughter, backed by Iran’s cash. That day taught him tolerating enemies is a losing bet. He hopes crushing Iran weakens Hamas enough to free the remaining hostages—four from his old kibbutz—and end the Gaza war. The poll says 75% of Israelis want that deal, a softer stance than their hawkish vibe on Iran.
“There’s no need to keep fighting in Gaza,” Barad says. “Just finish it, especially now that it looks like the Iranians will not be able to continue backing and funding Hamas. It will be harder for Hamas to get stronger again.”
Israelis are riding a wave of defiance, ready to take on Iran alone if they must. But the shadow of U.S. support, or its absence, looms large. They’re betting on victory, and they’re not blinking.
Am Yisrael Chai.
Hey guys, if you like my blog, feel free to toss a virtual coffee my way on Buy Me a Coffee It’s like a high-five with caffeine, and coffee keeps me focused, albeit somewhat hyper. No pressure, it's your call.
Tweet
No comments:
Post a Comment