Twenty-four years after the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination, about 40% of Israelis believe there will be a moderate to high likelihood of political murder in the coming years, according to a survey conducted by the Roshink Research Institute for Rabin Memorial Organizers, which will take place on Saturday night.
The data shows that 39% believe that a political murderer is likely to come from the right-wing camp and target a left-wing politician, while 21% believe a left-wing murderer will target a right-wing politician. 16% stated that they think a murderer on political grounds would actually come from the Arab sector and target someone on the right.
40% of respondents said that they felt that discourse in Israel today is more violent and dangerous than before Rabin's assassination. 24% think that the discourse was much more violent then than it is today. 37% blame the media for the problematic discourse, 29% the politicians and 34% think the media and politicians are equally at fault.
A fifth of Israelis support the granting of a pardon to Rabin's murderer, Yigal Amir. 63% think he should not be released from prison.
"The results of the survey are worrying and highlight how important it is now, more than ever, to unite and demand the denunciation of violence and incitement from Israeli discourse," said the organizers after receiving the data. "Time must not obscure the scope and severity of the incident that took place in Israel, although there are factors that try to reduce its importance and even ease the punishment of the despicable killer who committed the murder."