A new survey of Israeli Jewish public opinion has found that 51% of Israeli Jews have a negative view of President Barack Obama (15% have a very negative view), while only 41% have a positive view of him (5% hold a very positive view). The November 2010 survey, conducted jointly by the Washington, D.C.-based Saban Center for Middle East Policy and Israel’s Dahaf Institute also found that 47% of Israeli Jews do not believe peace will ever occur, 43% believe it will occur only five years or more in the future, while only 8% believe it is possible in the next five years (Saban Center for Middle East Policy – Dahaf Institute 2010 Israeli Jewish Public Opinion Survey).

ZOA National Chairman of the Board Dr. Michael Goldblatt said, “This new poll shows, like others before it, that an overwhelming majority of Israelis believe that negotiation with and even major concessions to Mahmoud Abbas’ terror-supporting PA will not bring the long awaited peace for which Israelis yearn. These finding are consistent with earlier polls, like the October 2010 Peace Index poll, which showed that nearly two-thirds of Israelis (65% to 34%) believed that negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) would not lead to peace between Israel and the Palestinians in coming years. 

“Put simply, a clear majority of Israelis are showing, by the sort of results in this poll and others in recent years, that they do not believe that the PA is a genuine peace partner whose signature on a peace settlement would actually mean anything. Quite clearly, most Israelis believe that whatever concessions might be made, Palestinian demands and terror would not cease, and Israel’s position, to say nothing of the security and tranquility of the country, would be drastically affected.”