Syrian poll ranks Israel as top security threat, ahead of Iran

A new index of Syrian opinion ranks Israel as the top threat perceived by the people interviewed. The results, published on 2 November, show that a strongly negative view of Israeli policies can exist alongside a debate about whether diplomatic meetings are useful. Iran ranks second.

In the report, 61% of respondents named Israel as the main threat to Syria’s security. Iran was cited by 20%, Turkey by 6% and the United States by 5%. On security in the Arab world, the order stayed the same, with Israel at 58% and Iran at 24%.

A separate question asked about the policies of several powers. In that version, 97% of respondents considered Israel’s policies threatening to regional security and stability, and 93% said the same of Iran’s policies. The article notes that respondents could name more than one state, so these figures are not a second ranking that should add up to one hundred percent. Being named the priority danger does not mean being the only danger identified, and a lower position for Iran does not show support for its policies.

On direct meetings between Syrian and Israeli officials, respondents were divided. Forty-one percent said such meetings serve Syrian interests, while 49% said they do not. Eighty percent opposed Israel’s recognition, and 74% rejected any agreement that did not include the return of the Golan. The article stresses that these questions concern different things. Talks may be used to negotiate a withdrawal, prevent an incident or seek a security arrangement, while recognition establishes a broader political relationship. Support for talks therefore cannot be read directly as support for full normalization.

The report also refers to Syrian President Ahmed al-Charaa, who, in September, reaffirmed before the United Nations Damascus’s attachment to the Golan. According to a press agency, he also recalled Syria’s commitment to the 1974 separation of forces agreement. The article notes that an official position does not automatically describe public opinion, but it does indicate the subject of any possible negotiation.

The survey was conducted by the Arab Centre for Research and Political Studies with the Arab Center for Studies on Contemporary Syria. Interviews took place from 28 September to 15 October 2026, with 3,600 respondents selected through a multi-stage stratified method. The organizers state that the survey covered all provinces, with a confidence level of 98% and a margin of error of two to three points. The article cautions that these results do not measure reaction to the 3 November U.S. elections, and that the poll does not speak for all Syrians, especially those living outside the country. It also notes that a margin of error does not by itself address difficulties such as access to respondents, refusals, question wording and how free people felt to answer. Future breakdowns by region and social characteristics are expected to show differences that the national figures do not reveal.

Source: Read the original report (translated from French)