Poll: Most Israelis Want Israel to Join EU and NATO -Significant Differences Between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs

A recent survey of Israelis, commissioned by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's Israel office (KAS) and conducted by KEEVOON Research, revealed strong Israeli Support for the European Union, its leaders and NATO. The deep German-Israeli bond remains strong over the past 2 years and Germany as well as Europe are important to Israelis. Majority of Israelis would like Israel to join the EU and NATO. Israelis support NATO troops in peace-keeping capacity on West Bank. Significant differences of opinion between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs.

Jerusalem, Israel (PRWEB) May 1, 2009 -- A recent survey, commissioned by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's Israel office (KAS) and conducted by KEEVOON Research revealed that Germany and its leader Chancellor Angela Merkel have a very favorable image among Israelis (56% and 65%). Israelis also believe that Merkel's election as the first woman Chancellor improves Germany's image throughout the world (62%). Regarding Israeli relations with Germany, most of the respondents want to see deeper cooperation in the fields of culture, education and youth in particular.

In addition, 69% of Israelis would like to see Israel join the EU, 76% of Israeli Jews support Israel joining the EU (2007: 75%) while only 40% of Israeli Arabs support it. In general, 60% of Israelis see the EU favorably.

54% of Israelis support joining NATO while there are significant differences between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs (61% vs. 19% support). 54% of Israelis were also supportive of NATO sending troops to the West Bank and Gaza in a peace-keeping capacity. Here too there were significant differences in support among the Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel (62% vs. 24%).

Israelis overwhelming feel that the main priority of the new Israeli Government should be the economy and not foreign policy (61% vs. 12%).

60% of Israelis think that Germany has a special obligation to support Israel because of the Shoah while 31% think they do not. Interestingly, 36% of Israeli Arabs also feel that Germany has a special obligation to support Israel.

The survey also found that 40% of Israeli Jews might be eligible for EU citizenship with at least one grandparent being born in an EU country.

For 54% of Israeli respondents the European Union's support for a two-state-solution as the only framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict increases the possibility that they will support the EU.

Dr. Lars Hänsel, Director of the KAS Israel office: "The results show that Germany and the EU member states continue to play an important and central role in Israel. We were delighted to see significant support for EU countries and initiatives."

"We are confident of the very deep German-Israeli bond and will continue to work towards strengthening it even more" he added.

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung has been very active in promoting Israeli-German relations and educational causes in Israel ever since its foundation. KAS's has been running projects in Israel through its office in Jerusalem (http://www.kas.de/israel) for the past 27 years. The Foundation is dedicated to the legacy of the late German chancellor Konrad Adenauer who was the founder of the strong German-Israeli bond following the Second World War. He laid together with Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion the foundations for the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The telephone survey was conducted between April 1-5 by KEEVOON Research, headed by Mr. Mitchell Barak. (http://www.keevoon.com) Scientific advice was provided by Dr. Sharon Pardo, Director of the Centre for the Study of European Politics and Society at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. 600 people responded to the survey which was a representative sample of the population in Israel. 500 Israeli Jews were interviewed in Hebrew while 100 Israeli Arabs were interviewed in Arabic. The survey has a 4.1% margin of error.

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