Divisions surface in Israel as public support grows for potential strike on Iran

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian 

As the world awaits the outcome of the third round of nuclear negotiations in Geneva, Israel appears determined to favor the military option.

In recent weeks, Tel Aviv has circulated reports about preparations for a preemptive war against Iran and about new U.S. deployments.

Three additional U.S. refueling aircraft were announced to have arrived at Ben Gurion Airport. Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv called on nonessential staff to leave Israel, citing the possibility of further movement restrictions for those who remain.

On the ground, readiness levels in Haifa, Tel Aviv, and northern settlements are at their peak. Preparations have included hospital drills to ensure readiness for serious developments, while settlement leaders have opened public shelters in line with instructions pointing to the possibility of sudden escalation.

These preparations do not necessarily reflect unity within the political and military establishment regarding Iran. Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has remained silent, though he has reportedly warned of the serious repercussions of any military strike initiated by Israel.

At the political level, divisions appear evident within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli has said a U.S. strike, with Israeli participation, is inevitable and aimed at toppling the regime. Cabinet member Miri Regev, among others, has taken a different position.

Among the Israeli public, amid heightened warnings over the risks posed by Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal, support for military action has grown.

Fifty-nine percent of Israelis believe that refraining from launching an attack would have very negative consequences. A poll by the Institute for National Security Studies found that about 51 percent support a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran if Washington ultimately refrains from acting.

In any case, current indicators suggest the weekend will likely remain calm, pending the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Tel Aviv on Monday, which is expected to clarify the direction of events, unless Israel repeats the deception it carried out during last June’s war.