Poll finds Israelis believe 'enemy' won war

JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israelis overwhelmingly believe that Iran emerged stronger from the Middle East war and its subsequent deal with the United States, a poll released on Sunday found.

The poll of 3,644 respondents, conducted between 17 and 20 June by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in collaboration with the Agam Institute, paints a stark picture of public sentiment following the US-Iran deal. 

Of those surveyed, 92.1 percent said Iran had won or gained more from the conflict, while 82.9 percent felt that Israel's long-term security had been weakened.

The survey found that even among voters who support the right-wing bloc, the electoral base of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 93.1 percent believed Iran had won.

Opposition to the US-Iran agreement was widespread, with 63.2 percent of respondents compared with just 12.1 percent expressing support. 

The findings pointed to a broader crisis of confidence in Israel's leadership. 

Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed, 72.5 percent, said they did not believe Netanyahu's claims about the military campaign's achievements, while 56.4 percent rated his management of the campaign as "failed" or "poor."

The poll also pointed to the political price paid by Netanyahu, with support for his premiership plummeting from 40.5 percent in early March to 29.4 percent in June.