Alwaght- The recent publication of findings of a wide-ranging poll by Israeli Ma'ariv newspaper at such a critical juncture of the regional developments is not just a simple survey of thoughts, but can be seen as a silent referendum of the Arab nations about the security, political, and geopolitical dynamics of the West Asia region.
Conducted by Doha-based Arab Center and Research and Policy Studies, the poll unveils a deep and meaningful gap between the public opinion and the official narratives of their governments, main stream media, and the normalization projects with Israeli regime.
The results find that 44 percent of the respondents in the Arab countries find Israel the top threat for their national security and 21 percent say the US takes the second place as leading threat. With a considerable distance and only 6 percent, Iran comes third, obviously signaling that the findings do not match the years of anti-Iranian media propaganda and actually carry a significant message.
Polls amid Israeli fury with Arab mediation
The timing of publication of the survey is of great importance. These data are coming out amid Arab efforts to mediate between the US and Iran to avoid a conflict, something infuriating the Israeli regime. In recent months, Tel Aviv has shown its uneasiness with any de-escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran or redefinition of Iran’s regional role, as the Israeli strategy fundamentally rests on Iran phobia and permanently maintaining an atmosphere of escalation in the region.
Amid this climate, the poll’s results can be seen as a political and psychological blow to the American-Israeli project of establishing themselves as “security guarantors” in the region. Contrary to the official narratives of some governments, Arab public opinion not only rejects the idea that a military alliance with the US brings stability, but actually sees it as the greatest source of insecurity and a direct threat to their own safety.
A referendum against normalization with Tel Aviv
This poll sends one critical message above all: the project to normalize relations with the Israeli regime lacks social legitimacy and public support. Agreements like the Abraham Accords, launched with direct US backing and heavy media promotion as a “path to peace and prosperity,” now face a crisis of credibility in the court of Arab public opinion.
When 44 percent of Arab people see Tel Aviv as the primary threat to their security, a fundamental question arises: on what social and national basis are normalizing governments declaring Tel Aviv a strategic partner? This profound chasm between states and their people not only calls into question the long-term viability of the normalization project but reveals it to be built not on public consent, but on external pressure, short-term security calculations, and dependency on Washington.
Endorsing approach of Iran and Axis of Resistance to the Palestinian cause
The poll’s finding that Iran ranks a distant third in perceived security threats at a mere 6 percent carries a significance far beyond the number itself. For years, Tehran has been cast by some as the “primary enemy of the Arab world.” This result challenges that narrative head-on and serves as a tacit, real-world endorsement of Iran and allied Axis of Resistance’s stance on Palestine and their confrontation with the Israeli regime’s expansionist policies.
Arab public opinion is more discerning than the prevalent propaganda suggests. A significant portion of the region’s people draw a clear distinction between what constitutes legitimate resistance and what is branded as destabilization. For them, Iran’s support for Palestine, its opposition to occupation, and its pushback against foreign intervention are not viewed as threats. Instead, these are seen as integral components of a deterrence equation against Israel and a legitimate path toward liberating the historically oppressed Palestinian nation.
This perspective represents a critical form of soft power and strategic capital for the Axis of Resistance, a reservoir of grassroots credibility that is set to play a major role in the region’s future equations.
Clear gap between stances of public opinion and governments
Another function of this poll is highlighting the deep mismatch between the stated security priorities of the Arab governments and the real take of the public opinion of the regional threats. While some Arab governments, particularly in the Persian Gulf, name Iran as a true threat, public opinion does not buy this image, insisting that the real threatening forces are Israeli regime and the US.
This gap sends a clear message to the future home and foreign policy of the Arab nations: Turning a blind eye to the public in the long term can erode political legitimacy, increase social discontentment, and even generate internal instability, especially at a time the Palestinian cause remains one of the main elements of the socio-political identity of the Arab world.
Media warfare fails against resistance discourse
The survey results represent a clear document, underscoring the failure of the media warfare and broad propaganda campaign against the discourse of resistance. In recent years, a network of regional and international media outlets has worked to frame the Resistance camp as a cause of ruin, instability, and backwardness, while promoting normalization and alliance with the West as a cure-all.
Contrary to these constructed narratives, Arab public opinion has not distanced itself from the resistance narrative. On the contrary, clear signs point to its growth and consolidation. The increasing sensitivity to Israel’s crimes in Gaza, the West Bank, and Al-Quds (Jerusalem), coupled with a deepening skepticism the US role in the region, bears witness to this trend.
Clear benchmark of stability and instability in the eyes of regional nations
The most important function of this poll is presenting a transparent benchmark to draw distinction between causes of stability and instability in the region. In the eyes of Arab nations, the US and Israeli regime are the main sources of insecurity, war, and instability in the region. This view aligns with widespread demand for withdrawal of foreign forces from the region.
On the other side, actors standing against foreign interventionism and occupation are regarded as part of deterrence equation and balance of power. This reality, observers advise, should be seriously taken into account in the strategic calculations of the regional and trans-regional actors.
