The events of October 7, 2023, not only shook Israel’s national security but also undermined public trust in state institutions, especially the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), to an unprecedented degree. It was in this context that the northern campaign developed—initially secondary in the strategic agenda but gradually taking a central place in public consciousness. For many, the approach toward fighting Hezbollah—ranging from containment and restraint to significant escalation—was seen as an ongoing test of the system’s ability to...
Operation Rising Lion—launched amid a prolonged war in the Gaza Strip—was accompanied by broad public consensus and a sharp rise in trust indices toward the IDF. However, an analysis of public discourse and opinion polls conducted during the operation shows that this success did not erase deep social tensions and, in some cases, even exacerbated them. The gap between the Air Force and the Ground Forces deepened, further highlighting the narrative of the “upper and lower IDF.” The operation also renewed the glorification of the...
Upon assuming office, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir declared that restoring public trust in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is a “binding mission.” However, an analysis of the IDF’s communication strategy during Operation Rising Lion reveals that both the IDF and the political echelon sought to restore public trust in the IDF’s superiority. This effort aimed to reinforce the same sense of absolute advantage and false immunity that had permeated the public, the political echelon, and the military echelon before October 7, 2023. This...
Over the past five years, Iran’s activity in the arena of international terrorism has significantly intensified, spreading across vast geographic regions and incorporating criminal organizations in the execution of terrorist operations. Although most Iranian terrorism attempts have been thwarted, there is no guarantee that this success will persist in the future. It is therefore necessary to examine the characteristics of Iran’s use of terrorism in order to improve the chances of countering it.
This memorandum examines...
Operation Rising Lion took place during a challenging time for Israeli national resilience. The combination of a prolonged, multi-front military campaign and deep societal polarization—fueled by the politicization of various aspects and phenomena related to the ongoing war—significantly eroded resilience. An examination of factors known to shape resilience revealed a marked decline, particularly in the areas of trust, social solidarity, optimism, and hope. In contrast, there was a notable improvement in the area of functional...
Since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron war, the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) has been regularly conducting public opinion surveys aimed at examining public attitudes toward key national security issues, as well as national resilience and public trust.[1]
Click here to view the trends among the Jewish public | Click here to view the trends among the Arab public
Following the first survey conducted by the Data Analytics Center after the launch of Operation Rising Lion against Iran’s nuclear and military...
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the Institute for National Security Studies has been regularly conducting public opinion surveys to assess attitudes toward key national security issues, national resilience, and public trust.[1]
Click here to download the complete survey data | Click here to view the trends among the Jewish public | Click here to view the trends among the Arab public
Key Findings: A noticeable rise in public trust across both defense and political institutions has been observed since the launch of the...
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the Institute for National Security Studies has been regularly conducting public opinion surveys to assess attitudes toward key national security issues, national resilience, and public trust.[1]
Click here to download the complete survey data | To the survey results in Arabic - نتائج الاستطلاع باللغة العربية | Click here to view the trends among the Jewish public | Click here to view the trends among the Arab public Trust in Persons and Institutions Key Findings: 75.5%...
On March 1, 2025, residents of northern Israel were expected to return to their homes. However, they have also been exposed daily to reports of mutual violations of the ceasefire agreement, both by Israel and Hezbollah, as well as the return of South Lebanon residents to their homes—some even carrying Hezbollah flags and pictures of Nasrallah. Residents with children found the return date problematic, as it required transferring their children to a different educational framework mid-year. Additionally, the return date marked the...
Since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron War, the Institute for National Security Studies regularly conducts public opinion surveys[1] to examine trends in national resilience and public trust. Click here to download the complete survey data | Click here to view the trends among the Jewish public | Click here to view the trends among the Arab public
Confidence in Leaders and Institutions Key Findings: The percentage of those expressing great confidence in the IDF (74.5% in the Israeli...
Since the Swords of Iron war outbreak, the Institute for National Security Studies regularly conducts public opinion surveys[1] to examine national resilience and public trust trends. Click here to read the key findings Click here to download the complete survey data Click here to view the trends among the Jewish public Click here to view the trends among the Arab public Below are the key findings in a graphic format: ________________________ [1] The latest Swords of Iron...
Since the Swords of Iron war outbreak, the Institute for National Security Studies regularly conducts public opinion surveys[1] to examine national resilience and public trust trends. Click here to download the complete survey data
________________________ [1] The latest Swords of Iron survey was conducted between October 10-13, 2024, under the Data Analytics Center at the Institute for National Security Studies. The fieldwork was carried out by the "iPanel" Institute, interviewing 805 men and women online in Hebrew and...
