(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The majority of people in Israel would support resorting to military action if diplomatic efforts to curb Iran’s alleged ambitions to develop nuclear weapons fail, according to a poll by the Hebrew University. 52 per cent of respondents would support bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The majority of people in Israel would support resorting to military action if diplomatic efforts to curb Iran’s alleged ambitions to develop nuclear weapons fail, according to a poll by the Hebrew University. 52 per cent of respondents would support bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities.
After being branded as part of an "axis of evil" by then U.S. president George W. Bush in January 2002, Iran has contended that its nuclear program aims to produce energy, not weapons. In June 2005, former Tehran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won Iran’s presidential election in a run-off over Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani with 61.6 per cent of all cast ballots.
In December 2006 and March 2007, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) imposed sanctions against Iran after it failed to stop uranium enrichment—a process needed both to make nuclear weapons and produce electricity.
In October 2007, Bush announced a new set of unilateral sanctions against Iran, which include the designations of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a "proliferator of weapons of mass destruction" and of the elite Quds Force as a "supporter of terrorism." The resolution has significant economic implications for Iran.
Iran’s presidential election took place on Jun. 12. Official results gave incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a victory with 62.63 per cent of the vote, followed by reformist candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi with 33.75 per cent.
Mousavi rejected the published numbers, calling them a "dangerous charade." Thousands of Mousavi supporters, wearing green clothes, have taken to the streets to protest the outcome since the day after the election. The demonstrations have spread to practically all major cities.
On Jun. 18, Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman said that Israel wants a policy change in Iran regardless of who is head of government, and added that Iran "is much more dangerous" than North Korea, whose regime has recently tested nuclear weapons.
Polling Data
Do you support or oppose bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities if international efforts fail to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons?
|
Support |
52% |
|
Oppose |
35% |
|
Not sure |
13% |
Source: Hebrew University
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 606 Israeli adults, conducted from May 24 to Jun. 3, 2009. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.
