Poll: Most Israelis see Obama as fair and friendly

[liberalpragmatist]

From a poll for Ha'aretz:

U.S. President Barack Obama's popularity may be declining in American public opinion, but a sweeping majority of Israelis think his treatment of this country is friendly and fair, according to a Haaretz-Dialog poll conducted this week.

The poll also found that most Israelis don't believe politicians who call Obama anti-Semitic or hostile to Israel, or who say he is "striving to topple Netanyahu." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aides said they had hoped the public would rally around him and see him as a victim of overly strict treatment by the Obama administration. The poll, which was conducted Tuesday and Wednesday and supervised by Professor Camil Fuchs, comes after reports of a crisis in diplomatic relations due to Israel's announcement during a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden that it will build 1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem.

The numbers aren't released yet as part of that poll, but Leah Rozen at Politico got ahold of the numbers:

In the midst of the serious dispute between Washington and Jerusalem over Israeli settlement activity setting back U.S. peace efforts, something interesting appears to going on in Israeli public opinion.

I am hearing from Israeli sources that Israeli polling shows Benjamin Netanyahu's approval rating is falling (not that surprising, given Israeli discomfort at prime ministers who are seen as not able to well handle the relationship with Israel's most important ally, the United States). But more surprising, if my source is to be believed, Obama's is going up in Israel. A poll in Haaretz tomorrow shows that 70% of Israelis polled believe Obama is either friendly or balanced, the Israeli source said. He said the poll is currently in Hebrew but should be published in Haaretz tomorrow. He said it was conducted by one of Israel's best pollsters, Tel Aviv University Professor Camil Fuchs.

...

A National Israeli radio poll released today asked if Netanyahu is "suited to be prime minister." 16.6% responded "very suited," 26.8% said "suited enough," 26.1% said "not so suited," and 24.9% said "not suited at all." So a combined total of 51% who believe he's not suited/very not suited to be PM, compared to 43% who think he is/very much is. (Thanks to TH and DL for translations.)

[applegrove]

1. Good for those Israelis. Obama is their friend even though he didn't support the Iraq War.

[Cha]

2. Oh, I know of someone

around here who won't be happy with this positive Pres Obama poll from Israel.

[Jennicut]

3. The best thing for the Israeli people if for them to be rid of Netanyahu.

I think the people are reasonable there, the RW in Israel is not.

[Grand Taurean]

4. Rec'd 5!

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[FrenchieCat]

6. I could have told you that.

[Jennicut]

7. Yeah, we get it already.

[Cha]

8. What's your point?

[Behind the Aegis]

9. Not at all surprising.

Certain aspects of the media like to focus on the negative and make it seem as if Israel and the US are in dire straits. Pres. Obama himself has said there is no great crisis, "friends sometimes disagree." I would say this poll is also showing that the Israeli public is losing faith in Netanyahu and his government. Considering what had happened prior to his election, it isn't surprising he won, though narrowly. Israelis seem to be having "buyer's remorse."