A Poll: Only Two Percent of Netanyahu's Supporters Consider Iran a Major Concern

Internal polls from the ruling Likud party led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu show that just over two percent of the party's supporters view Iran as the most important issue for the government to address. The results of these internal Likud polls, related to the latest Israeli election period, were published on Monday, June 19, in the newspaper Haaretz. According to the report, over 97 percent of Israeli Likud members or supporters considered issues other than Iran as essential matters for the government to address. Haaretz noted that since entering the Prime Minister's office in 2009, Benjamin Netanyahu has dedicated a significant portion of his time to the Iranian nuclear issue, although he was unable to prevent the achievement of the JCPOA, the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. The report stated that during Likud's election campaigns, Netanyahu's supporters consistently heard his views on Iran, but the poll results indicated that the Iranian issue ranks lowest in priority among his supporters. Only 2.4 percent of Likud supporters described the 'Iran issue' as the most urgent matter for the Israeli government agenda. At least 49 percent of Likud supporters wanted economic issues, especially housing, to be at the top of Netanyahu's government agenda. The most pressing issue for Likud supporters was the rising cost of living; 38 percent identified price reductions as the top priority. Meanwhile, 28 percent of Likud voters deemed government attention to security matters essential. Additionally, 12 percent mentioned the stalled peace talks between Israel and Palestine as the most urgent issue for the government to address. According to Haaretz, 11 percent of Netanyahu's supporters requested attention to the ongoing and unresolved housing crisis. The housing issue is a serious problem, especially for young Israelis, as home prices or rents have been steadily increasing, and the government has had minimal success in addressing this goal. Four percent of Israelis have called for the government to prioritize changing the system and altering the way the government is formed. Haaretz recalled that after the last elections in spring 2015, Netanyahu attempted to address voters' economic demands by appointing Moshe Kahlon as Minister of Finance and personally promised to address the housing price crisis. Despite this, according to Haaretz, fifteen internal Likud polls and the party's Facebook polls have reassured Netanyahu that none of his rival politicians have a chance of becoming Prime Minister. Eighty-one percent said that Yair Lapid, leader of the opposition party Yesh Atid, is not suitable for the premiership, and 63 percent deemed Naftali Bennett, leader of the right-wing Jewish Home party, as lacking the necessary qualifications for the premiership. Despite the low importance that Likud supporters and voters place on the 'Iran issue,' Mr. Netanyahu still describes the 'Iran threat' as serious for his country in recent negotiations with global leaders, including Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, the presidents of Russia and the United States. On the other hand, some politicians have always said that for a political leader, ensuring the security and survival of the country should be a top priority, rather than merely following the demands of the masses—even among his own supporters. Recent polls have shown that in any potential early election, the Likud party is likely to gain more strength, and if the current police investigations into Benjamin Netanyahu regarding receiving cigars from his friends remain speculative, he will retain the Prime Minister's position. Mr. Netanyahu, contrary to what is reported in his critical media, enjoys significant popularity among the general public in Israel, and despite some shortcomings, the majority of his voters consider him the most qualified politician to manage the complex and sensitive affairs of the country.