The INSS telephone poll of 400 West Bank Palestinians (June 27–July 2; ±4.9%) finds 46% saying Israel does not have a right to exist and 41% saying it does. Respondents were divided over political outcomes: 27% favored two states, 22% a bi-national state, and 26% a Palestinian-only state. A majority (52%) preferred negotiations over armed struggle, while economic hardship, settler violence and IDF operations topped security concerns.
INSS Poll: 46% of West Bank Palestinians Say Israel Has No Right to Exist — Unemployment, Settler Violence and Security Top Concerns
A Palestinian boy on a bicycle rides past an Israeli soldier standing guard by a barrier in the Old City of Hebron, in the West Bank, on September 5, 2026. (credit: Photo by Mosab Shawer / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
A new telephone survey conducted by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) of 400 Palestinians in the West Bank between June 27 and July 2 (margin of error ±4.9%) reveals deep political division and widespread economic and security anxiety.
Recognition and Endgame
The poll found that 46% of respondents said Israel does not have a right to exist, compared with 41% who said it does. When asked whether ending Israel's existence is plausible, 42% said it could be achieved while 32% said it was impossible.
Preferred Political Outcomes
Respondents were split on the desired political future: 27% favored a two-state solution, 22% supported a single bi-national state with equal rights, and 26% preferred a Palestinian-only state without a Jewish presence. Only 17% said they would accept a Palestinian state that allowed Jews to live as residents or citizens.
Means of Resolving the Conflict
Despite the large share rejecting Israel's right to exist, a majority (52%) said they would prefer negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while just 12% favored armed resistance. Relatedly, 57% judged that violence has failed and that international diplomatic efforts are more effective.
Views on Gaza and Armed Groups
Forty percent of respondents said Hamas should disarm, and a majority indicated they preferred that Hamas not govern the Gaza Strip. When asked who should administer Gaza, 32% chose the U.S.-backed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), 21% preferred the Palestinian Authority (PA), 21% supported a Fatah-Hamas unity government, and only 5% chose Hamas as the sole authority.
Leadership Preferences
Asked who should replace Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti led the field with 34% support. Abbas's deputy Hussein al-Sheikh received 8% support.
Economic and Security Concerns
Economic hardship and violence were dominant worries: 97% named unemployment as a chief concern and 96% identified settler violence as a major problem. Fourteen percent reported being direct victims of settler attacks; 22% said they had heard first-hand testimony from someone they know who was harmed; and 33% said they encountered reports of settler violence via media and social networks.
Broad anxiety about military operations and personal safety was pronounced: 91% expressed concern about Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operations in the West Bank, and 60% said they felt a low or very low sense of personal security.
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 400 West Bank Palestinians, June 27–July 2. Reported margin of error: ±4.9%.
Photo caption: A Palestinian boy rides a bicycle past an Israeli soldier standing guard by a barrier in the Old City of Hebron, West Bank, on September 5, 2026. (Photo by Mosab Shawer / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
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