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Poll: Israelis Place Security over Withdrawals, Say Buffer Zones Essential
(JNS) A new survey commissioned by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs found that most Israelis support maintaining defensible borders and security zones in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and the Jordan Valley. ; 64% support a permanent military buffer zone in Gaza, while 73% support maintaining a security zone in southern Lebanon up to the Litani River. "The Israeli public has drawn a clear lesson from Oct. 7 and the security developments of recent years: national security cannot be based on hopes, international guarantees, or assumptions that have proven inadequate," said JCFA President Dan Diker. "Most Israelis now understand that defensible borders, strategic depth, buffer zones, and an Israeli security presence in vital areas are indispensable components of national defense." 60% of Israelis support maintaining Israel's security presence in Syria. 57% said Israel must keep a permanent military presence in the Jordan Valley, irrespective of any future political deal. 61% oppose any agreement that would require a full withdrawal from Judea and Samaria without Israeli-controlled buffer zones or security mechanisms. 56% said Israel's 2005 disengagement from Gaza was a strategic mistake.