A survey of Arab residents in northern Israel reveals troubling findings about attitudes toward Israeli sovereignty in the Galilee: 49% say they accept Israeli rule only "under duress" and support changing the situation in the future, while 63% say the State of Israel has no right to encourage the establishment of new Jewish communities in the region. At the same time, 76% support cooperation with police in the fight against illegal weapons.
The poll, conducted by the Direct Polls Institute headed by Tzuriel Sharon on behalf of the Lev B'Galil organization, surveyed Arab residents in the north days before the election.
According to the survey, while 49% of respondents accept Israeli sovereignty, they do so "under duress" and support changing the situation in the future. Only 51% expressed support for Israeli sovereignty in the Galilee without reservation.
The findings are equally stark regarding Jewish settlement: 63% of respondents believe the State of Israel has no right to encourage the establishment of new Jewish communities in the Galilee. Only 15% recognize its right to do so, while 22% said they did not know.
The question of land ownership also reveals deep divisions. Twenty-seven percent of respondents claimed that the lands on which Jewish communities were established in the Galilee are Palestinian lands that came under Israeli control, and therefore no Jewish communities should be built on them. Sixty-three percent believe the lands previously belonged to Arab residents and that this should be taken into account in future decisions. Only 10% said the lands belong to the State of Israel and it is entitled to establish Jewish communities on them.
On the question of the Galilee's future in a scenario where a Palestinian state is established alongside Israel, 54% preferred that the region remain within the borders of the State of Israel, including 6% who supported Arab autonomy within the state. Six percent preferred that the Galilee become part of the Palestinian state, 2% supported changing its status or borders, and 38% did not know how to respond.
The survey also presents a different picture on the issue of personal security: 76% of respondents support cooperation by Arab community residents with the police and reporting on unlicensed weapons possession. Eight percent oppose this, and 16% do not know.
Lev B'Galil called on the government to act to strengthen Israeli sovereignty in the region by expanding Jewish settlement and removing obstacles to construction. The organization said that "the State of Israel is at a dramatic crossroads regarding the future of the Galilee," and added that the state must clarify its position in the region officially and practically.
The survey was conducted in Arabic between October 11 and 13, 2026, using a digital data collection system. It included 333 participants aged 18 and over from the Arab community in the north. The reported sampling error is ±5.4%, at a 95% confidence level.
