(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - About a quarter of people in Israel think their country is equally endangered by Arab countries and political corruption, according to a poll by Keevoon. 24 per cent of respondents say Arab countries, including Iran, represent a major threat to Israel, while the same proportion thinks corruption is the greatest issue facing the country.

Poverty is third on the list with 22 per cent, followed by terrorist attacks with 12 per cent, and demographic issues with seven per cent.

In March 2006, Israeli voters renewed the Knesset. Kadima, founded by former prime minister Ariel Sharon and led by Ehud Olmert, secured 29 seats in the legislature. Labour, the International Organization of Torah-observant Sephardic Jews (Shas) and the Retired People’s Party (Gil) joined Kadima in a coalition. In October, the Israeli cabinet approved the addition of Israel Our Home to the government. Olmert’s coalition now has the support of 78 of the Knesset’s 120 members.

In May 2008, Israeli police raided the offices of Jerusalem’s city government and seized documents related to Olmert’s tenure as mayor, from 1993 to 2003. Olmert is alleged to have illegally accepted hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars from Moshe Talansky and other wealthy Jewish-American businessmen, either as illegal campaign contributions or bribes. Neither Olmert nor Talansky have been charged with any crime. On Jul. 31, Olmert announced that he will not participate in an extraordinary internal ballot for Kadima’s leadership in September, which will effectively end his tenure.

On Aug. 15, Talanksy, the key witness in the investigation into Olmert’s alleged wrongdoing, said he would stop collaborating with the trial because he is now facing justice in the United States. Talansky’s defence attorney Brad Simon declared: "Mr. Talansky does not intend to appear in court on August 31, 2008. (...) By cooperating with Israeli authorities, Mr. Talansky has placed himself in legal jeopardy here in the United States."

Polling Data

What is the greatest threat facing Israel?

Source: Keevoon
Methodology: Interviews with 500 Jewish Israelis, conducted on Jul. 24, 2008. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.

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