According to a new public opinion poll released by the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies on November 1, a solid majority of Jewish Israelis (64%) believes that Israel must rule the entire Jerusalem envelope for security and ideological reasons.

Sixty-three percent (63%) say that division of the city and the introduction of Arab rule in part of the city would be “strategic irresponsibility” and would “endanger the future of the Jewish state.”

Even larger majorities believe that Israel must maintain sovereignty over the Temple Mount whatever diplomatic accords emerge (72%), and that Jews should be able to pray on the Temple Mount (68%).

Seventy percent of the public believes that effective Israeli control of the united Jerusalem envelope is the key to security for the residents of Jerusalem itself.

Many Israelis (58%) support establishment of a Jerusalem metropolitan government including the Gush Etzion and Binyamin regions – as has recently been proposed by some Israeli ministers.

Responding to the results, Prof. Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies, said that “the results indicate that the Israeli public holds healthy conservative leanings with regard to the unity of Jerusalem and Israel’s security. JISS intends to reinforce the instincts of the Israeli public in this regard.”

The poll was conducted by “Maagar Mochot” – The Institute of Disciplinary Research and Consultation Ltd., managed by Prof. Ytzhak Katz, via a multi-participant panel throughout October 2017, among a probability sample of 508 responders in a representative sample of the adult Jewish population. This sample allows for conclusions at a 95% confidence level with a standard error of around 4.4%.