(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Few adults in Israel are impressed with their prime minister’s recent visit to the United States, according to a poll by the Peace Index Project. Only 19 per cent of respondents believe Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington was successful.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Few adults in Israel are impressed with their prime minister’s recent visit to the United States, according to a poll by the Peace Index Project. Only 19 per cent of respondents believe Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington was successful.
In addition, 56 per cent of respondents believe Netanyahu struck the right cord in his stance, 13 per cent think he was too rigid, and nine per cent say he was too lenient.
On May 18, Netanyahu met with U.S. president Barack Obama, who reportedly pressed the Israeli prime minister for resuming stalled peace talks with the Palestinians and commit to the creation of a Palestinian state. Neyanyahu vowed to begin talks with Palestinian leaders immediately but stopped short of endorsing the so-called two-state solution, saying, "If Israel’s security conditions are met and there’s recognition of Israel’s legitimacy, its permanent legitimacy, then I think we can envision an arrangement where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in dignity and security and in peace."
On Jun. 3, Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman described relations between Israel and the U.S. as "very friendly", adding, "I think that the biggest mistake (is) understanding that settlements are an obstacle to any peace solution the Middle East."
Polling Data
Was Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington successful?
|
Yes |
19% |
|
No |
65% |
How would you term the stance Netanyahu presented to the U.S.?
|
Too rigid |
13% |
|
Just right |
56% |
|
Too lenient |
9% |
Source: Peace Index Project / Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research / Evens Program in Mediation and Conflict Resolution of Tel Aviv University
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 600 Israeli adults, conducted in May 2009. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.
