Israel - A Vital Friend

Israel a 'Vital Friend' Says New U.S. Poll
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/
by Hana Levi Julian

(IsraelNN.com) A new Gallup poll shows that more than half of American citizens consider Israel to be a "vital friend" in the Middle East. The average U.S. citizen considers Israel to be one of America's most important allies, according to a survey released this week by the world-renown Gallup polling organization. The poll examined America's perception of foreign nations, which it considers to be allies and which it views with disfavor.

More than half of Americans rated Israel as a 'vital friend' – 55 percent of the respondents rated the Jewish State as "favorable" and "important", the only country to be named in both categories. More than half of the respondents to the survey – 63 percent – rated Israel favorably; slightly less than last year's 68 percent, but still much higher than five years ago, when 56 percent of respondents rated the Jewish State favorably.

Of the Arab nations viewed favorable by Americans, Egypt rated at the top of the list, with 60 percent of respondents viewing Israel's southern neighbor positively. Jordan followed with a 51 percent rating. The Palestinian Authority was rated close to the bottom of the list at 16 percent, only one percent higher than Iraq at 15 percent.

Other Middle East countries did not fare nearly as well. Only 35 percent of respondents rated their perceptions of Saudi Arabia as "favorable" and 21 percent granting a positive rating to Syria. The Palestinian Authority was rated close to the bottom of the list at 16 percent, only one percent higher than Iraq at 15 percent.

The poll made it clear that Iran is profoundly unpopular with U.S. citizens -- only 9 percent of respondents giving it a positive rating. English-speaking countries were rated highest, with Canada at the top of the list (92 percent), followed closely by Australia and Great Britain which were tied at 89 percent.