Israeli opposition voters seek policy change, not just Netanyahu's ouster, poll finds

Voters in Israel's opposition parties are often characterized as a single-issue bloc united solely by their opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, new research from the 2026 Foreign Policy Index, a joint effort by the Mitvim Institute and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, reveals a more nuanced picture.

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Voters for Israel’s opposition right-wing and centrist parties are often portrayed as an incoherent coalition united by a single sentiment: opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The core electorate supporting a potential "government of change" is motivated by a desire for genuine policy shifts, not just a change in leadership. These voters, supporting parties like Yashar!, Together, and Yisrael Beytenu, aspire to a government that would actively pursue policy changes in relations with the Palestinians and work to restore Israel's standing in the Arab world.

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the core electorate of a potential “government of change” – supporters of Yasher!, Together, and Yisrael Beytenu – is motivated not merely by opposition to Netanyahu himself, but by opposition to Netanyahu’s policies.

This finding directly contradicts a long-held assumption in Israeli politics: that any future government formed by the Right and Center-Right opposition would steer clear of significant diplomatic endeavors, particularly concerning peace negotiations or the establishment of a Palestinian state. The prevailing belief has been that such discussions would alienate voters and push them towards Netanyahu's camp. The survey, however, suggests the opposite is true.

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Nearly two-thirds of opposition voters on the Center-Right support a package deal that includes the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state as part of a broader regional normalization process, alongside the removal of Hamas from power in Gaza.

Remarkably, this specific voter base shows a willingness to engage in diplomatic initiatives and even make substantial compromises for peace. Nearly two-thirds of these opposition voters support a comprehensive plan that includes the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state, coupled with regional normalization and the removal of Hamas from power in Gaza. Furthermore, a majority of voters from the Together and Yasher! parties favor concrete steps for Gaza's future, including creating alternative governance or deploying a multinational force for demilitarization, with over 70% viewing Gaza's reconstruction as an Israeli national interest.

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More than 60% of Together and Yasher! voters believe that defeating Hamas requires creating an alternative governing structure in Gaza or deploying a multinational force to oversee the demilitarization of the Strip.