JERUSALEM – A majority of Israeli Jews support settlement construction and believe President Barack Obama was “unfriendly” towards Israel during his tenure, a new survey published in the wake of the anti-settlements United Nations Security Council resolution shows.
62% of Israeli Jews were in favor of more building in the settlements and 57% believe Obama, who chose not to veto the UNSC resolution, did not have Israel’s back while president, the Israel Democracy Institute’s latest Peace Index survey found.
69% believe Trump’s attitude toward Israel will be “friendly.” The belief spanned all political camps – from 80% of respondents on the right to 54% on the left. 74% of Israeli Arabs believe Trump will be friendly to Israel.
89% of right-wing respondents said Israel should continue construction in the settlements, followed by 83.5% on the moderate right, 45% in the center, 21% on the moderate left and 15% on the left.
58% of Israeli Jews rejected Secretary of State John Kerry’s claim that Israel “can either be Jewish or democratic — it cannot be both,” the poll found.
70% of Israeli Jews are optimistic about their personal future in 2017 and 50% were optimistic about Israel’s future this year. 77% of Arab respondents said they were optimistic about their personal future and 48% said they were optimistic about Israel’s future in 2017.