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The narrative widely shared by the Israeli and foreign media about the war in Gaza is that the Israeli public opposes the government’s newest plan to seize control of Gaza City and that it wants the conflict to be brought to an end. Nearly two years of constant fighting have exhausted the army, and Hamas has been all but defeated. The public sees no point in mounting yet another assault—it wants the hostages and the troops to come home. Even the army wants a deal with Hamas that would end the war.

The reality, however, is more complicated and goes a long way to explaining why Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to move forward with the operation, not only defying public opinion and the views of army chief Eyal Zamir but also unprecedented international condemnation of the war. Even as Israelis want out of the war, a minority on the far right has pushed the issue of annexation of Gaza, expulsion of its Palestinian population, and settling of Israelis there into the mainstream of political discourse. Meanwhile, it is maneuvering the army into doing its bidding.

The narrative widely shared by the Israeli and foreign media about the war in Gaza is that the Israeli public opposes the government’s newest plan to seize control of Gaza City and that it wants the conflict to be brought to an end. Nearly two years of constant fighting have exhausted the army, and Hamas has been all but defeated. The public sees no point in mounting yet another assault—it wants the hostages and the troops to come home. Even the army wants a deal with Hamas that would end the war.

The reality, however, is more complicated and goes a long way to explaining why Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to move forward with the operation, not only defying public opinion and the views of army chief Eyal Zamir but also unprecedented international condemnation of the war. Even as Israelis want out of the war, a minority on the far right has pushed the issue of annexation of Gaza, expulsion of its Palestinian population, and settling of Israelis there into the mainstream of political discourse. Meanwhile, it is maneuvering the army into doing its bidding.

Polls do indeed show that a majority of Israelis prefer reaching a deal with Hamas that would trade hostages still held in Gaza for a cease-fire and ultimately end with Israel’s withdrawal from the strip. One poll taken by Agam Labs in August, for instance, found that 74 percent of the Israeli public favored a deal (among Israeli Jews, 68 percent). Other polls taken by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) asking Israeli Jews about what should happen to Gaza when the fighting ends show that about half think it should be turned over to some kind of government of Palestinian technocrats........

© Foreign Policy