Netanyahu: Israel's Man Of The Hour (85% of Jewish Israelis satisfied with Netanyahu's...)

[Purveyor]

The airwaves are filled with images of death and destruction in the Gaza Strip. President Barack Obama is pressing for an immediate cease-fire. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have been killed.

But at home, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is riding a massive wave of popularity.

Domestic support for the Israeli leader's prosecution of the war in Gaza has only grown over the past three weeks, as the Israeli public and political class rally behind an aggressive, definitive campaign against Hamas and its rockets and tunnels. The deep support among Israelis, from left to right, for the military's Gaza offensive and Netanyahu's leadership is almost unprecedented, political analysts say.

A poll this week for Israel's Channel 10 news, conducted by the Sarid Institute, found that 87 per cent of Jewish Israelis support continuing the Gaza operation. A survey by the Israel Democracy Institute found that 95 perc ent of Israeli Jews think the operation in Gaza is just, and four of five oppose a unilateral withdrawal. Just 4 per cent said the Israeli military has used excessive force.

And in another survey this week, by the University of Haifa, 85 per cent of Jewish Israelis polled said they are "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with Netanyahu's leadership.

more...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/10328861/Netanyahu-Israels-man-of-the-hour

[JI7]

1. how about the arab israelis

[Purveyor]

4. I doubt that they were included in the polling list and wouldn't dare answer

honestly if they were.

[JI7]

7. why wouldn't they answer honestly ?

maybe they would which is why they were not asked .

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. I'm sure the Boers felt the same way. n/t

[eridani]

3. Sort of like the Bush 90% approval before the attack on Iraq, no?

It's tough on those who don't support vicious racist imperial bullies in both countries.

[Scootaloo]

5. Well, that's rather the point, isn't it?

The coalition was, if I recall, starting to pull apart at the seams, with the far-right (in comparison to Likud, that's saying something!) threatening to pull away, with the non-coalition members pretty much vowing to let the whole mess fall apart.

Bibi needed a "rally the flag" moment. He found it in three dead teenagers, and turned that into a tidal wave of violence against "Hamas" - i.e., whoever happened to get swept away in the wave. Wars are always popular in the polls, with even people who don't like or want them still rallying around the "Dear leader."

The question is, of course, how long will this "satisfaction" last? I don't think Hamas is going to stop, for their part, until they get their demands. Even if that happens, I'm certain Islamic Jihad or some other bunch is going to keep up... and this is assuming that the west bank doesn't rise... or maybe even something even more dire (when even al-Sissi is giving israel an earful, you know shit could get very real.) when this war starts having a cost to these Israelis, when it's suddenly more than something they watch on TV - or for some, from a hilltop with a beer in hand - will they still be satisfied with Israel?

[regnaD kciN]

6. It isn't just one leader...

...by standing firmly with the Likud, the Israeli electorate has sown the wind. It remains to be seen if they will reap the whirlwind.