Palestinian and Jewish-Israeli support for a two-state solution has significantly declined in recent years, according to a new poll published this week.

The poll was conducted last month by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research and the International Program in Conflict Resolution and Mediation at Tel Aviv University.

While in general, Jewish and Arab Israelis and Palestinians prefer two states to other democratic frameworks for resolving the conflict, support for the two-state solution dropped from 43% to 33% among Palestinians and 44% to 34% among Israeli Jews between September 2020 and December 2022. 

For the first time, slightly more Israeli Jews support one undemocratic, unequal state under Israeli rule than the two-state solution.

Among Arab citizens of Israel, support for two states has approximated 60% over the course of the last two years, though this is significantly lower than their support historically. Between 2016 and 2018, over 80% of Israeli Arabs supported the two-state solution.

Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip were surveyed through face-to-face interviews. Israeli Jews living inside the Green Line and settlements and Israeli Arabs responded online.

The survey also prompted Israelis and Palestinians to answer questions about their perceptions of each other. Most Israeli Jews (84%) and Palestinians (61%) believe there is no peace partner on the other side. The joint poll shows that 11% of Israeli Jews and 14% of Palestinians think it is possible to trust the other side. Meanwhile, half of Israeli Arabs believe Israeli Jews can be trusted.

Israeli Jews and Palestinians perceive themselves as the exclusive victim of the conflict, 84% on both sides. An overwhelming majority of Palestinians (90%) and a smaller majority of Israeli Jews (63%) believe their suffering grants them the right to do anything necessary for survival.

As for perceived experiences of the conflict, 52% of Israeli Jews believe control over the West Bank does not harm or only slightly harms Palestinians and 39% say occupation of the West Bank harms Israel. Among Palentinians, 39% believe armed attacks against Israel harms Palestinians and three-quarters believe such attacks harm Israel. 

The full poll surveyed attitudes toward a two-state confederation, detailed peace package, confidence-building measures, and more.

You can read the complete report and its key findings here.