Can We Keep Oour Country?
Poll: 69% of Israelis Want Israel to Join the EUIsrael Public Opinion Update
Thursday, 23 April 2009
To view the full results of the survey
www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_16236-544-1-30.pdfIn 2007 the Israel office of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung asked us to do a
comprehensive benchmark survey of Israeli attitudes towards Germany, the EU
and its member states. At the time the survey was widely covered and served
as the foundation for many Israel-EU policy discussions.This month we conducted a similar survey for them. It is of special
interest particularly in the year celebrating 50 years of diplomatic
relations between Israel and Europe, the growing role of the EU in the
region and the upcoming elections for the European Parliament.What follows are the results of our survey.
Survey reveals Israeli support for the European Union, its leaders and NATO
69% Want Israel to Join the EU
54% Would Join NATO and support their Peace-Keepers in the West Bank and
GazaThe survey revealed that Germany and its leader Chancellor Angela Merkel
have a very favorable image among Israelis (56% and 65%). Israelis also
believe that Merkel's election as the first woman Chancellor improves
Germany's image throughout the world (62%). Regarding Israeli relations
with Germany, most of the respondents want to see deeper cooperation in the
fields of culture, education and youth in particular.In addition, 69% of Israelis would like to see Israel join the EU, 76% of
Israeli Jews support Israel joining the EU (2007: 75%) while only 40% of
Israeli Arabs support it. In general, 60% of Israelis see the EU favorably.54% of Israelis support joining NATO while there are significant differences
between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs (61% vs. 19% support). 54% of
Israelis were also supportive of NATO sending troops to the West Bank and
Gaza in a peace-keeping capacity. Here too there were significant
differences in support among the Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel (62% vs.
24%).Israelis overwhelming feel that the main priority of the new Israeli
Government should be the economy and not foreign policy (61% vs. 12%).60% of Israelis think that Germany has a special obligation to support
Israel because of the Shoah while 31% think they do not. Interestingly, 36%
of Israeli Arabs also feel that Germany has a special obligation to support
Israel.The survey also found that 40% of Israeli Jews might be eligible for EU
citizenship with at least one grandparent being born in an EU country.For 54% of Israeli respondents the European Union's support for a
two-state-solution as the only framework for resolving the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict increases the possibility that they will
support the EU.Dr. Lars Hänsel, Director of the KAS Israel office: "The results show that
Germany and the EU member states continue to play an important and central
role in Israel. We were delighted to see significant support for EU
countries and initiatives. We are looking forward to sharing the results
with relevant policy makers in Israel and Europe. We are confident of the
very deep German-Israeli bond and will continue to work towards
strengthening it even more."Poll Methodology
500 Israeli Jews
100 Israeli Arabs
Over 18 years old
Representative sample
4.1% margin of error
1-5 April 2009The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung has been very active in promoting
Israeli-German relations and educational causes in Israel ever since its
foundation. KAS has been running projects in Israel through its office in
Jerusalem for the past 27 years. The Foundation is dedicated to the legacy
of the late German chancellor Konrad Adenauer who was the founder of the
strong German-Israeli bond following the Second World War. He laid together
with Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion the foundations for the
diplomatic relations between the two countries.About Us
KEEVOON provides companies, organizations and individuals with Survey
Research services.KEEVOON is pioneering the survey research field in Israel by utilizing
moment-to-moment instant response technology in all of their focus groups.
Founded by Mitchell Barak, KEEVOON is based in Jerusalem, Israel.For more information
info@keevoon.com
I can't see how anything good could come from Israel joining the EU.
Could it maybe open up markets for Israeli products that are not currently open, yes but at a price.
The price would be giving up Judea, Samaria and dividing Jerusalem.
It is bad enough that 69% of Israeli's want to join the EU, but this is less troubling than the figure that 54% that want to join NATO.
But the last figure that makes me wonder if Israeli's still want the burden of having our own country 62% of Israeli's want to see NATO troops placed in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
Are they kidding?
As a father of a combat soldier, I know what it means to send your sons to fight and protect Israel but to turn that over to a third party even NATO means Israel is loosing. Israeli's are loosing the will to fight for their country.
This will lead to the religious carrying an even greater burden in the IDF in the future, all the while the rest of Israeli's are seeking to give away the country.
