A majority of Jewish respondents (56%) said the main reason for the high number of murders in Arab society was a 'cultural problem' within the sector, according to a Maariv poll released on Friday.
The survey also found a sharp divide between Jewish and Arab respondents on the causes of the violence. While most Jewish respondents pointed to cultural factors, a similar majority of Arab respondents (57%) blamed police inaction.
Across the full sample, about half of respondents said cultural factors were the main cause, 31% pointed to police inaction, 12% blamed restrictions imposed by the judicial system on police and security agencies, and 8% said they did not know.
On violent demonstrations, 69% of respondents said authorities should use the maximum force legally possible, with especially strong support among opposition voters (78%), according to the poll. Another 17% said the events should be contained as much as possible, while 14% said they did not know.
The findings came amid continued uncertainty over the Iranian front and public uproar following the attack on two female soldiers in Bnei Brak, against the backdrop of a political system that remains largely deadlocked.
Recent surveys have also pointed to deep concern over crime, policing, and personal security, especially in Arab society. A November 2025 Abraham Initiatives survey found that 64% of Arab respondents named crime and violence as the most pressing issue facing Arab society.
Arab respondents report high fear of violence, low security
An Israel Democracy Institute survey published in November reported that 80% of Arab respondents feared serious violence or gunfire tied to criminal conflicts, and only 19% expressed high trust in police. INSS data published in January found that only 7% of Arab respondents reported a high sense of personal security, while 55% reported low or very low security.
At the same time, the Maariv poll showed little change in the broader electoral map.
The poll was conducted by Lazar Research under Dr. Menachem Lazar in cooperation with Panel4All on February 18-19 among 501 respondents, a representative sample of Israel’s adult population aged 18 and over, Jewish and Arab. The maximum margin of sampling error was 4.4%.