(JNS) Syrians are taking friendlier attitudes toward Israel under the government of Ahmed al-Sharaa, a new YouGov survey suggests.
The survey, which the Council for a Secure America commissioned, found that 59% of Syrians think that peace with Israel is likely, compared to 14% that believes it’s unlikely.
Almost two-thirds of respondents support a security arrangement with Israel, and less than 10% disapproved. Nearly half want normalization with Israel after a resolution with the Palestinians, and 40% are undecided on that issue, per the poll.
Respondents expressed disdain for Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed terror group that long controlled Southern Lebanon and was aligned with longtime Syrian President Bashar Assad, who was deposed in December 2024.
Some 70% of Syrians describe Hezbollah as impacting their country negatively, and 52% said the terror group is harming Lebanon’s security. Just 11% took a positive view of Hezbollah.
The survey included 260 Syrians aged 18 and above and was taken in the first half of January. The Council for Secure America is a pro-American energy group and a supporter of the Abraham Accords.
A separate YouGov poll of 252 Lebanese adults conducted last month found that 63% of respondents support efforts by the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah, while just 9% opposed.
Those in Lebanon were more skeptical about peace with Israel, with only 40% saying it is likely, and 24% that it is unlikely. Just 25% of those polled supported normalization with Israel, even after a resolution to the conflict with the Palestinians.
“Council for a Secure America polls demonstrate that Syrian and Lebanese public opinion continues to gravitate away from Hezbollah,” Jennifer Suton, executive director of Council for a Secure America, told the New York Post.
“While Israeli normalization is not yet on the horizon, we are seeing significant shifts in Syria, with a majority believing that eventual peace with Israel is possible,” she told the paper. She added that the trends “provide an opportunity for the US to reinforce traditional geopolitical partners, weaken proxy forces, promote peace and stability, and discourage external entities from destabilizing the region.”
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