PNN – Research by a Zionist center indicates a significant decline in public trust among Zionists regarding Netanyahu and the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; over the past year, Netanyahu’s cabinet launched two wars against Iran under the pretext of neutralizing immediate threats; these actions were met with a decisive defensive response from our country’s armed forces, imposing a heavy cost on the Zionists. The damage and losses sustained by the Zionist regime’s home front during these two conflicts—coupled with Netanyahu’s failure to achieve his objectives regarding Iran—are now manifesting as a sharp drop in public confidence in the governing structures among the residents of the occupied territories.
A recent survey conducted by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) of the Zionist regime in July revealed a significant decline in public trust in political and military institutions and officials compared to the periods preceding the 12-day war and the 40-day war.
Decline in Zionist confidence in military institutions
This study reveals that, although public trust in the Israeli army currently stands at 74 percent, this figure is 6 percent lower than it was during the second war against Iran—indicating a decline in the army’s standing among the residents of the occupied territories in the post-war period. Furthermore, while 83 percent of Zionists trust the army, this figure is only 34 percent among Arabs living in the occupied territories. Trust in Eyal Zamir, the Chief of the General Staff, has also dropped by 12 percent since the recent war, falling to 59 percent; specifically, he garnered a high level of trust from 67 percent of Zionists but only 28 percent of Arabs. This metric serves as a key indicator of the deep divide between the Arab and Zionist populations regarding the primary military institution and figure within the Zionist regime’s structure.
This poll shows a 7% decline in confidence in the Mossad compared to the period prior to the 12-day war in the summer of 2024. Furthermore, Roman Gofman—who recently assumed leadership of the organization and is considered a Netanyahu loyalist—failed to secure the confidence of 51% of Zionists; notably, the Arab share in this figure stands at approximately 88%.
Shin Bet (the internal security agency) is also facing a decline in public trust compared to the period prior to the war; in this poll, it garnered only 61 percent support. Opinions regarding David Zini are sharply divided: while 46 percent place a high level of trust in him, an equal percentage expresses low trust. Among Arab citizens of Israel (Arabs of 1948), 80 percent stated they have no trust whatsoever in the head of Shin Bet.
Aman (Military Intelligence) has also seen a 12% drop in public confidence among Zionists regarding a potential second war with Iran.
Declining Confidence in Political Institutions
Another key finding of the poll is that confidence among residents of the occupied territories in political institutions and officials has plummeted as a result of the war with Iran. Specifically, the data reveals that only 31% place a high level of trust in Netanyahu as Prime Minister; notably, the level of trust among the Arab population stands at a mere 6%. Confidence in Defense Minister Israel Katz is reported at 30%—a remarkably low figure given the position he holds.
Regarding the overall structure of the regime’s cabinet, only 25 percent of residents express a high level of trust in it, whereas 73 percent stated that their confidence in the current cabinet is low. A comparison of the figures reveals a 9 percent decline in trust in Netanyahu’s cabinet following the second Iran war. In this context, 95 percent of Arab residents have stated that they trust this cabinet.
The survey also examined the extent of agreement with the statement that “decisions made at the political level are primarily based on security considerations rather than political ones”… In this regard, the majority of Zionists expressed disagreement with this view. Put simply, the findings indicate that most Israelis believe the decisions of the Netanyahu cabinet are driven more by political maneuvering and backroom deals than by security concerns. Consequently, it can be said that the sharp decline in confidence regarding the cabinet’s structures stems from the perception that the decisions made by Netanyahu and his team—particularly concerning a potential war with Iran—have been based on political and partisan considerations rather than security realities.
Another point revealed by this study is the lack of trust among half of the society in occupied Palestine regarding the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet; this stands in contrast to the norm in occupied Palestine, where the Mossad chief is typically viewed as a non-partisan figure capable of commanding high levels of public trust. However, given the current situation in the occupied territories, Zionist public opinion perceives David Zini and Roman Gofman as loyalists to Netanyahu—viewing them essentially as his “pawns.”
David Zini, the head of Shin Bet, is a former army general with no prior experience in the domestic security agency; he was reportedly appointed to the position in an unconventional manner during a brief conversation inside the Prime Minister’s car. Critics view him as a “yes-man” for Netanyahu. Consequently, a poll by the Zionist regime’s Institute for National Security Studies indicates that the same rift currently dividing Zionist society—between opposition parties and the ruling coalition—is also reflected in the level of trust placed in Zini.
Before being appointed head of the Mossad, Ronen Bar served as a military advisor to Netanyahu. He, too, assumed the position from outside the Mossad’s organizational structure and without a traditional intelligence background; consequently, critics argue that the post was a “reward for loyalty.”
Thus, the low level of public confidence expressed in these two individuals—who head Israel’s most critical intelligence and security agencies—reflects a critical reaction to Netanyahu’s efforts to dominate key centers of power. Another trend evident in the poll results is the erosion of trust in the military and the Chief of General Staff. There are clear reasons for this: the protracted nature of the war across multiple fronts without a decisive victory, and criticism regarding the outcomes of the campaign against Iran.
Extremely low trust in the government structure is hardly surprising, given the cabinet’s decisions regarding the extension of military service exemptions for the Haredim, the failure to form a committee to investigate the October 7 failure, Netanyahu’s controversial appointments to intelligence and security agencies, and various military-related decisions. The impact of this low confidence is evident in the upcoming elections scheduled for October 27; indeed, weekly polls confirm a decline in the Likud Party’s projected seat count. Consequently, the erosion of public trust in the government threatens to undermine voter turnout, the legitimacy of security decisions, and social cohesion—challenges that Israel is currently facing from within.