According to Israeli lore, the final words of Zionist fighter Joseph Trumpeldor were “Never mind, it is good to die for our country.”
The pre-state hero fell in battle defending the settlement of Tel Hai in 1920. Today, nearly half of Israeli youth facing the IDF draft agree with his assessment to some degree.
In a poll conducted by Geocartography Research Institute and published Sunday by Israel’s Channel 2, 49% of respondents aged 17 and 18 agreed mostly (26%) or strongly (23%) with this statement.
Another 27% partially agreed while 13% didn’t really agree. Only 9% disagreed outright, while 2% didn’t know what to think.
When asked about the impact Operation Protective Edge had on their resolve, 61% claimed it has boosted their motivation to serve in the IDF either moderately (32%) or significantly (29%). 9% said it diminished their motivation.
Combat service is still number one for most people. 49% of respondents consider it the loftiest contribution to Israel’s security. 5% partially agreed, while 17% disagreed somewhat and 12% disagreed completely.
The poll was conducted among 307 participants.
