Following a tentative truce between Israel and Iran on a recent Tuesday morning, normalcy slowly returned to the busy streets and revived coffee shops of Jerusalem. The restriction orders imposed by Israel’s home front command were lifted by the same evening, paving the way for a semblance of regular life to begin peaking back in the aftermath of the 12-day-long warfare. Many residents resumed shopping in open-air markets, a testament to the relief sweeping the nation after frequent instances of retreating to bunkers had come to an end. The war’s end brought a sense of uncertain calm often voiced in sentiments like ‘We might experience relief from conflict today, but there’s no telling what could occur tomorrow.’
For many locals, satisfaction with Israel’s military offensive against Iran was evident. A flash survey conducted in the immediate aftermath of the attack revealed overwhelming support, with approximately 82% of Jewish Israelis in favor of the decision to attack Iran and the precise timing of the offensive. Only a month earlier, the local political scene was tinged with a sense of disarray, as Israel’s longest-serving Prime Minister faced both national and international critique over the handling of the war situation alongside persistent inaction over negotiating a hostage release deal.
The prominent leader, often lauded as ‘The Magician’ for his adept crisis management abilities, found his image somewhat tarnished due to the overwhelming criticism over his management of the conflict in Gaza, and his perceived reluctance to secure the release of hostages. Iran has continually asserted the peace-keeping intentions of its nuclear program, an assertion reinforced by the US intelligence agency’s consensus that Tehran is not current on a path to develop nuclear weaponry. But, for Israeli leaders, the belief is altogether different – they maintain that Iran was on the verge of assembling a nuclear weapon.
The military campaign against Iran lent strength to the leader’s reputation, helping him recover from a security lapse that led to an attack on October 7th, 2023. Recent opinion polls indicate how the successful military operation against Iran garnered considerable public support. The Iranian missile strikes saw 28 casualties and caused injuries to more than a thousand individuals, a figure provided by Israel’s public diplomacy directorate. On the other side, Iran’s official figures stated 606 fatalities and over 5,332 injuries, though speculations persist that the actual numbers are much higher.
Despite the acclaim heaped upon the operation against Iranian nuclear facilities and its ballistic missile program, there remain skeptics who question the touted success of the mission. The recent focus has now shifted back towards the ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Early on one Wednesday morning, news broke of the demise of seven soldiers in southern Gaza. As reported by Kan, Israel’s national broadcaster, these soldiers were in an armoured personnel carrier that was set ablaze as a result of an explosive device.
Public opinion largely leans favorably towards negotiations with Hamas to secure the release of 50 remaining hostages – both the living and the dead – while simultaneously seeking to cease hostilities. Unfortunately, allegations abound that the leader has been resisting attempts to terminate the conflict. His opponents argue that he is unwilling to agree to a new arrangement that would guarantee the release of the remaining hostages, thereby prolonging the feud unnecessarily.
The leader’s right-wing coalition partners have expressed staunch opposition to ending the war without the removal of the Hamas leadership, threatening to withdraw from the coalition and potentially instigating premature elections in Israel. ‘The issue in Gaza must be addressed prior to dealing with our problems with Iran, with the hostages and Gaza being paramount,’ expressed a local resident.