Israel’s political and social landscape has experienced significant shifts in the three years following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian groups that resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and roughly 250 captives. According to observers and researchers, these events triggered a collective psychological rupture that has been leveraged by political figures to reshape Israeli public opinion and policy direction.
Political psychologists note that the attacks shattered a longstanding perception of Israeli military invincibility that had previously dominated public consciousness. The subsequent military response in Gaza, which has resulted in over 74,000 Palestinian deaths according to cited figures, combined with intensified settler actions in the West Bank, has contributed to Israel’s international isolation. Researchers indicate that genuine fear among the Israeli population has been systematically mobilized by political actors to advance particular agendas and normalize previously marginal positions within mainstream discourse.
Polling data reflects a pronounced rightward shift in Israeli public opinion. A May 2025 survey found overwhelming majority support among Israeli respondents for expelling Gaza residents, with a significant minority endorsing more extreme measures. High-profile government officials have employed inflammatory rhetoric toward Palestinians, while security ministers have facilitated arms distribution to settler groups involved in violent confrontations with Palestinian communities.
Observers characterize the changes as a reversal of earlier progress in Jewish-Palestinian relations. Sociologists note that while anti-Palestinian policies predate October 7, the recent period has accelerated existing trends toward what international bodies describe as apartheid systems. Human rights organizations have documented marked increases in West Bank violence and deaths, attributing the escalation to coordinated military and settler actions. Researchers argue that while October 7 did not create these dynamics, it functioned as a catalyst that legitimized and intensified longstanding structural processes affecting Palestinian populations across Gaza, the West Bank, and within Israel itself.
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