Fresh CSA polling finds a majority of Syrians back normalization with Israel contingent on a Palestinian resolution, while 70 percent view Hezbollah’s involvement in their country negatively.
Washington, D.C., February 16, 2026. Fresh polling of Syrian public opinion reveals that a majority supports normalization with Israel contingent on a Palestinian resolution, while 70 percent view Hezbollah’s involvement in their country negatively, according to a new survey released today by the Council for a Secure America.
The January 2026 survey, conducted by YouGov, found that 52 percent of Syrians would support normalizing diplomatic or economic relations with Israel following a long-term resolution to the Palestinian issue, a five-point increase from October 2025. Support is particularly strong among Syrian men, with 60 percent backing normalization. Meanwhile, 65 percent of respondents view the U.S. role in Syrian affairs positively, and 64 percent believe peace with Israel is likely in the future.
President Ahmed Al-Sharaa maintains majority approval at 61 percent, though down from 69 percent in October. Opposition to Hezbollah remains overwhelming and stable at 70 percent negative.
“The Syrian people have spoken with remarkable clarity: they want economic opportunity and regional integration, not proxy domination by Tehran,” said Jennifer Sutton, Executive Director of the Council for a Secure America. “These numbers demolish the conventional wisdom that Arab publics uniformly oppose engagement with Israel. The Abraham Accords model is alive, and Syria, freed from Assad, may be ready for it.”
The Council for a Secure America (CSA) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to strengthen U.S. national security by educating on the inextricable link between U.S. energy security, national security, and diplomacy.