A new poll has found that nearly two-thirds of Israelis – 65% – believe that American Jews should criticize President Obama’s policy towards Israel, as opposed to a mere 12% of Israelis who believe that American Jews should support Obama’s policy. The June 2010 B’nai B’rith B’nai B’rith World Center Annual Survey on Contemporary Israeli Attitudes Toward Diaspora Jewry also found 49% of Israelis do not regard Jews living and building in eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank as being either morally or politically wrong or damaging to Israel’s international legitimacy, as opposed to 37% who believe that it is (‘B’nai B’rith B’nai B’rith World Center Annual Survey on Contemporary Israeli Attitudes Toward Diaspora Jewry, June 2010’).

These findings are consistent with several earlier polls:

• April 2010: A Shvakim Panorama poll for Israel Television Channel 1 found that Israelis oppose President Barack Obama’s policy of demanding a freeze on Jewish construction in eastern Jerusalem by an overwhelming 72% to 22%; Israelis blame President Obama for the current tensions in the U.S.-Israel relationship (59%), whereas only 16% blame Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu; 61% of Israelis believe that Obama interested in improving relations with the Arab states at the expense of Israel, whereas only 27% believe that he is not (‘Poll: Israelis oppose freeze, blame Obama for tension, think Obama turning to Arabs at expense of Israel,’ Independent Media Review Analysis, April 25, 2010).

·        August 2009: A Smith Research poll found that only 4% of Israelis regard the Obama Administration’s policies as pro-Israel, as against 51% who believe them to be pro-Arab and 35% who believe them to be neutral. The poll also found that 50% of Israelis oppose a one-year agreement with the U.S. to freeze Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria, as against 41% who would agree to it (Gil Hoffman, ‘4% of Israelis say Obama pro-Israel,’ Jerusalem Post, August 27, 2009).

·        June 2009: A Smith Research poll found more than two-thirds of Israelis – 69% – oppose freezing construction within large Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, like Gush Etzion, Ma’aleh Adumim and Ariel, whereas only 27% of Israelis support the idea. It also found that only a tiny minority of Israelis – 6% – regard the Obama Administration to be pro-Israel, whereas 50% believe it to be pro-Palestinians, while 36% regard it as neutral between the two sides. When asked their opinion about Obama Administration policies towards the region, 50% of those sampled regarded the policies of Obama’s administration as more pro-Palestinian than pro-Israeli, while 36%  regarded them as neutral (Gil Hoffman, ‘6% see US administration as pro-Israel,’ Jerusalem Post, June 19, 2009).

·        June 2009: A Maagar Mohot Survey Institute poll showed Israelis support by 56% to 37% Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s repudiation of President Barack Obama’s demand that Israel freeze all Jewish construction and growth in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem. The poll also found Israelis oppose (51% to 34%) Netanyahu acceding to Obama’s reported demand that Israel abandon the settlement blocs as part of an agreement with the Palestinians (‘Maagar Mochot Poll finds Israelis want PM Netanyahu to reject President Obama’s demands,’ Independent Media & Review Analysis, June 11, 2009).

·        June 2009: A Dahaf Institute poll sponsored by Yediot Ahronot found that 53% of Israelis believed President Obama’s policies were not good for Israel, as against only 26% who thought they were; 51% believed that Obama cares more about Palestinian desires for statehood than Israel’s security, as opposed to only 22% who believed the opposite; and 51% were disappointed with Obama’s polices, while 41% were not. Half the respondents said they blamed both Obama and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the perceived crisis between Israel and the U.S., 28% solely blamed Obama and 16% just Netanyahu (Gil Hoffman, ‘Poll: 26% think Obama’s policies bad for Israel,’ Jerusalem Post, June 8, 2009).

·        June 2009: Israelis oppose uprooting Jews from Judea and Samaria even in return for a peace agreement with the Palestinians that would be good for Israel by 50 percent to 43 percent; Israelis believe they should say “no” to Obama and oppose concessions to the PA until PA provides peace and security on the ground by 54 percent to 33 percent. (Geocartography Knowledge Group poll, ‘Poll: Israelis say “no” to Obama 54%:33%,’ Independent Media Review & Analysis, June 3, 2009).

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “Like several earlier polls, this survey shows that Israelis opposed President Barack Obama’s hostile policy towards Israel. It also shows that they want American Jews to speak out against it and not be silent. Coupled with earlier results showing the abysmal level of support for Obama among Israelis after 18 months of public condemnation, criticism and pressure while placing no pressure at all on Palestinians and largely ignoring incitement to hatred and murder within Palestinian society, here is further evidence that Israelis do not support Obama’s policy and do not believe American Jews should either.”