The majority of Israelis believe US President Joe Biden is less favorable to Israel than his predecessor, Donald Trump, according to a poll by the Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies (Mitvim).
According to the Ninth Annual Public Opinion Survey on Israeli Foreign Policy, Israelis consider the United States to be the best world country for Israel.
Russia fell second, followed by Germany, Britain, China, Egypt, France and Jordan, whose rate of importance for Israelis has increased to 12 percent compared to seven percent in last year’s foreign policy index.
Meanwhile, 46 percent of the Israelis considered the European Union to be a rival rather than a friend.
About 57 percent attached great importance to Israel’s improving its relations with Jordan, and 61 percent expressed broad support for improving relations with Turkey.
Almost half of the participants in the survey said they are interested in visiting an Arab country.
The United Arab Emirates and Morocco are the Arab countries that Israelis are most interested in visiting, at 10% each, followed by Lebanon (7%), Egypt (6%), Saudi Arabia (3%) and Jordan (3%).
In another context, 38 percent said that Israel should not interfere in the Palestinian Authority’s political and economic crises, while 28 percent supported Israel’s working to strengthen the authority, and 13 percent said that Israel should work to weaken it.
As for Gaza, 31 percent said relevant parties should work to ensure the PA regains control in the enclave, while 22 percent supported resorting to the international community for a broad economic reconstruction in the Strip.
Also, 13 percent supported Israel conducting negotiations with Hamas to reach a long-lasting truce and nine percent said the situation there should remain as it is.
Thirty-two percent of Israelis considered meetings between Israeli and Palestinian officials a positive step that contributes to improving bilateral ties, the poll showed, and 30 percent believed it is a symbolic move that will not affect ties, while 17 percent said these meetings harm Israeli interests.
