Amid Iran conflict, how do Israelis and Palestinians feel about their safety?
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- Pew Research Center surveyed Israeli adults from April 5 to May 6 and West Bank/East Jerusalem residents from March 30 to April 28, covering the period of U.S.–Israeli airstrikes on Iran and the cease‑fire declared on April 7.
- Israeli adults report that roughly nine‑in‑ten have access to a bomb shelter, with 78 % indicating a private shelter in their home.
- Palestinian respondents in the West Bank and East Jerusalem say only 7 % have any shelter, with just 5 % reporting a private shelter and 2 % a public one.
- Israeli Jews are more likely than Israeli Arabs to have shelter access, with 82 % reporting a private shelter versus 62 % of Israeli Arabs.
- Israeli Arabs have lower shelter access, with 62 % reporting a private shelter and fewer reporting public‑shelter availability than Israeli Jews.
- U.S.–Israeli military action against Iran is viewed as improving long‑term personal safety by 54 % of Israelis, especially 80 % of Netanyahu coalition supporters, while only 20 % of Israeli Arabs share that view.
- Palestinians overwhelmingly expect reduced safety, with about 70 % saying they will be less safe, only 5 % expecting to be safer, and 15 % uncertain.
Why it matters: The data shows that Israeli citizens—particularly Jews with private shelters and supporters of Netanyahu’s coalition—largely view the U.S.–Israeli strike on Iran as enhancing personal safety, whereas Palestinians, lacking shelter and fearing heightened risk, overwhelmingly anticipate reduced safety. This gap highlights divergent security perceptions that affect community resilience and political attitudes.
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