A SHIFT IN PALESTINIAN PERCEPTIONS
For much of the three years since October 7, 2023 and the ensuing military campaign in Gaza, Israeli political leaders have been vexed by the persistent support that terror group Hamas has received from the Palestinian "street." That, however, seems to be changing, a new study by the Institute for National Security Studies details. "Recent public opinion polls conducted among the Palestinian public indicate a significant weakening of the 'resistance is winning' narrative and reflect a profound conceptual shift," the report outlines. "This shift moves the center of gravity from supporting Hamas's strategy of resistance toward a pragmatic approach that is acutely aware of its costs."
"This process of disillusionment is evident in the unprecedented drop in support for 'armed struggle' as an effective means of achieving national goals, alongside a surge in willingness to return to channels of diplomatic negotiation and non-violent popular resistance," the study notes.
The implications are profound. "Trends emerging from longitudinal surveys by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) and a comprehensive survey by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) indicate that Hamas has lost its exclusivity in leading the Palestinian street," the INSS study notes. "They also highlight a growing civil need not for the advancement of national aspirations, but for practical solutions focused on personal and family survival." (INSS, October 11, 2026)
IRAN DELAYS RENEWING HAMAS FUNDING
Iran has reportedly delayed renewing financial support for Hamas over dissatisfaction with the group's failure to destabilize the West Bank, according to Israel's KAN News broadcaster. A senior Hamas delegation is known to have traveled to Tehran in early September and met with senior Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, to request the restoration of funding that had reportedly been frozen amid budgetary pressures. Meanwhile, Israeli security officials have separately warned that Hamas leadership abroad may seek to organize attacks in the West Bank despite relatively low levels of terrorist activity in the territory of late. However, the situation remains highly volatile, with recent incidents of settler violence raising concerns about a broader escalation. (Jerusalem Post, October 4, 2026)
AL-SHARAA INVESTS IN GUNS, NOT BUTTER
Over the past year, Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa has worked assiduously to consolidate control over his war-torn country, spur foreign investment, and turn over a new political leaf with the international community. But for al-Sharaa, who previously led the Islamist HTS, an al-Qaeda affiliate, old habits appear to die hard. According to Israeli security assessments, Syria's president has been quietly reallocating state resources away from reconstruction and toward the country's military, including enlarging its standing army and acquiring weapons systems.
Israel, however, does not seem to be al-Sharaa's primary target, despite ongoing tensions between Jerusalem and Damascus. Rather, Israeli military analysts believe, al-Sharaa is waiting until the United States reduces its military presence in the region to potentially strike at Hezbollah in Lebanon and pro-Iranian Shi'ite militias in Iraq. (Jerusalem Post, September 18, 2026)