Poll: A third of Israelis call settler rioters ‘terrorists’

A new JPPI poll finds one-third of Israelis describe Jewish rioters involved in recent West Bank violence as 'Israeli terrorists,' with another 18% calling them 'nationalist criminals.' Only 5% express support. The survey highlights a broad consensus across Israel's polarized society, though views diverge sharply by political affiliation: 63% on the left use the term 'terrorists' versus just 3% on the right. The poll references an incident in Kusra where masked Israelis barricaded themselves inside a Palestinian home.

A new survey by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) reveals that one-third of Israelis describe Jewish rioters involved in recent violence in the West Bank village of Kusra as 'Israeli terrorists.' An additional 18% call them 'nationalist criminals,' while only 5% express support for the rioters. JPPI President Yedidia Stern noted the results demonstrate an 'unusually broad consensus in Israel's polarized society,' with more than half the public judging the rioters harshly. The survey, conducted September 1-3 among 663 Jewish and 206 Arab respondents, shows sharp political divides: 63% of left-wing respondents use the term 'terrorists' compared to 49% in the center and just 3% on the right. Arab Israelis were also more likely to use the term at 55%, versus 27% of Jewish Israelis. The poll references a recent incident in Kusra where masked Israelis barricaded themselves inside a Palestinian home, wounding several residents. The government faces pressure from the Trump administration and European nations to crack down on the rioters, though Prime Minister Netanyahu has resisted due to coalition dynamics with far-right parties.

Poll: A third of Israelis call settler rioters ‘terrorists’