May 18, 2007

Prepared for the international conference on "US-Israel Relations in a New
Era," Sunday- Monday, May 20-21, 2007 at the BESA Center. Conducted by the
Ma'gar Mochot polling agency for the BESA Center/ADL, between May 1-4, 2007.
505 adult Israelis were surveyed. Margin of error: 4.7%

On US-Israel Relations

• 65% "agree" and "definitely agree" with the statement that the US is a
  loyal ally of Israel; 11% disagree.
• 64% describe their attitude, as an Israeli, towards the US, as good or
  very good; only 8% say their attitude is negative.
• 80% believe that if Israel reaches a point of serious crisis where its
  very existence is threatened -- a "moment of truth" -- the US will come to
  Israel's assistance.
• 48% say that the main reason why the US will continue to maintain close
  ties with Israel in the future is Israel's critical role as a strategic
  partner of the US; 30% say the reason is the political role of US Jewry; and
  17% say the reason is democratic tradition and shared values.
• 91% believe that close relations between the US and Israel are essential
  for the security of Israel.
• 73% say that President Bush's attitude towards Israel is friendly.
• 60% say that US and Israeli interests in the Middle East are similar; 36%
  say that the two countries have different regional interests.
• 51% of Israelis think that in the near future the US might impose a
  solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while 43% do not believe this
  sill happen.
• 71% of Israelis surveyed believe that if the international diplomatic
  effort and economic sanctions fail to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear
  weapons, the US "should use force" to destroy the Iranian nuclear
  facilities.
• 59% believe that in retrospect the US was correct in going to war in Iraq;
  36% disagree.

On American Jewry


• 52% believe that the level of American Jewish support for Israel is
  sufficient; 33% say the support is insufficient.
• 62% say that American Jews have a right to freely and publicly criticize
  Israel and Israeli policies; which is more than double the number of
  Israelis who feel otherwise.
• 49% believe that US Jews are assimilating rapidly and are in danger of
  disappearing.
• 69% believe that every American Jew should visit Israel.
• 57% think it possible that American Jews might vote for a presidential or
  congressional candidate who is anti-Israel; while 38% reject this notion.
• 54% believe that there is anti-Semitism in the US, but that it is not
  significant;
• 36% believe that anti-Semitism is a significant problem in the US.