Declining Support for Two-State Solution in Israel

A recent Pew survey indicates that the percentage of Israelis supporting a two-state solution, where a Palestinian state exists alongside Israel, has plummeted to a record low of 21% in 2023. This marks a significant drop from previous years, where support was closer to 50%.

The survey notes that only 21% of Israeli adults now believe in the possibility of peaceful coexistence between Israel and a Palestinian state. This represents a 14-point decrease since earlier in 2023, just months before the outbreak of the Israeli-Hamas conflict.

Multiple factors are viewed as hindrances to peace. Notably, issues surrounding the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements in the West Bank, political divisions in Israel, and the rivalry between Hamas and Fatah within Palestinian politics contribute to the skepticism.

However, the predominant challenge cited is the deep-seated lack of trust between Israelis and Palestinians, with roughly 75% of Israelis identifying this as a major barrier to achieving lasting peace.

These findings correspond with results from other organizations, including Gallup. Their polls conducted in late 2023 showed that, following a series of terrorist attacks attributed to Hamas, only 25% of Israelis supported the two-state solution. Gallup revealed, “Currently, just one in four Israelis endorse the idea of an independent Palestinian state, while a significant majority, around 65%, oppose it.” This marks a stark contrast to the situation a decade ago when support for a Palestinian state was nearly double, at 61%.

This sharp decline in support appears to align with various political events over the years, including efforts by the Obama administration to encourage Israeli concessions towards Palestinians, as well as ongoing tensions and conflicts, particularly those initiated by Hamas since 2014. There was a brief respite during the Trump administration, but tensions surged again with the Biden administration.