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(TJV) A new poll has found that 96 percent of Saudi nationals believe that Arab countries should cut ties with Israel in response to the war in Gaza, and that the popularity of Hamas has grown significantly amid Israel’s devastating military offensive on the embattled territory, Middle East Eye reported
Stunning poll on Saudi opinion:
91% believe that “the war in Gaza is a win for the Palestinians.”
96% believe that Arab countries should break all contacts w/ Israel.
Doesn’t seem Saudis will support MBS normalizing w/ Israel…https://t.co/I34ZhT6arr
— Trita Parsi (@tparsi) December 22, 2023
The result of the poll, conducted by the Washington Institute for Near Eastern Affairs, a pro-Israel think tank based in Washington, shows the difficulties the United States faces as it pushes for Saudi Arabia to normalise ties with Israel. Prior to the war in Gaza, the US was actively working towards achieving an agreement that would see Israel and Saudi Arabia normalize relations.
Friday’s survey also found that 40 percent of Saudis expressed positive attitudes toward Hamas, compared with just 10 percent according to a poll carried out months before the war began.
The poll further found that the majority of respondents in Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt held favourable views towards Hamas. The poll’s findings highlight large-scale outrage in the Arab world over Israel’s military assault on Gaza, which came in response to the 7 October attack on southern Israel.
The survey further found that 87 percent of Saudis believe “Israel is so weak and internally divided that it can be defeated some day”.
