Tel Aviv: People’s trust in Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plummets with each passing day of the war in Gaza, a poll conducted by Channel 12 of Israel found. Only 22 per cent of the voters in the poll expressed confidence in Netanyahu’s government, while 29 per cent of them said they trusted the PM, who is facing an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
However, 75 per cent of voters put their faith in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), suggesting that most of the people trust it
Further, 47 per cent of respondents expressed their faith in IDF Chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, while the Israeli Defence Minister performed the worst with the confidence of just 24 per cent of voters.
The poll also asked respondents how they define victory in the war against Hamas in Gaza. Sixty-eight per cent of respondents suggested that victory would only be achieved with the return of all hostages, while 12 per cent said that annexation of Gaza and imposition of Israeli sovereignty over the Gaza strip only make a victory.
Also, 4 per cent of respondents said that victory is when border residents return to their homes, while 8 per cent defined victory as the establishment of a moderate Palestine leadership in Gaza other than Hamas.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis denounced Israel’s bombing in Gaza that killed seven children of a family there, calling it “cruelty” and “not war”. While making his Christmas address to cardinals, Pope said, “Yesterday, children were bombed. This is cruelty, and it touches my heart,” The Times of India quoted.