Israeli Attitudes About Other Nations

Note: We are presenting raw data. To analyze the data, we encourage users to read the entire study and the methodology used. Results and reliability can be affected by sample size, question wording, and question order. Responses may also be influenced by context and timing, for example, if the survey is conducted during a war.

To what extent do you think each of the following countries is friendly or hostile toward Israel today? (Israel Democracy Institute, October 28-November 3, 2024)

	Friendly	Neither friendly nor hostile	Hostile
Britain	41%	31%	24%
Russia	6%	21%	69%
China	10%	30%	52%
Germany	72%	16%	9%
United States	79%	13%	8%
Jordan	21%	35%	42%
Egypt	18%	35%	45%
Saudi Arabia	23%	44%	25%
Qatar	11%	25%	60%
France	20%	24%	53%

How do you assess Israel-China relations? (INSS, September 2024)

	Arabs	Jews	Total
China is Israel’s ally	1%	1%	1%
China is friendly to Israel	21%	14%	15%
China is not friendly to Israel	28%	43%	40%
China is hostile to Israel	4%	11%	10%
DK	46%	31%	34%

Has your opinion of China changed since the outbreak of the war [in Gaza]? (INSS, September 2024)

	Arabs	Jews	Total
My opinion has become more positive	3%	0%	1%
My opinion of China has not changed	48%	48%	48%
My opinion has become more negative	7%	29%	25%
China is hostile to Israel	4%	11%	10%
DK	42%	23%	26%

Which view do you find more acceptable? (Mitvim Foreign Policy Index, July 2023)

	2021	2022	2023
Israel should prioritize developing relationships with democratic regimes	42%	36%	42%
The type of regime should not be a consideration in Israel’s decisions on establishing relations with countries	43%	50%	44%
DK	15%	14%	14%

China has increased its involvement in the Middle East, including in the Gulf States and vis-à-vis Iran. How do you view China’s growing influence in Middle Eastern politics? (Mitvim Foreign Policy Index, July 2023)

	Arabs	Jews	Total
China’s growing influence endangers Israel	33%	41%	40%
China’s influence is not significant for Israel	20%	18%	18%
China’s influence is positive for Israel	16%	13%	13%
DK	31%	28%	29%

Regarding policy on the war in Ukraine, Israel should: (Mitvim Foreign Policy Index, July 2023)

	2022	2023
Avoid taking sides so as not to anger Russia even at the expense of angering the West	53%	44%
Fully support Ukraine and the position of the liberal-democratic world	28%	33%
Fully support Russia	1%	3%
DK	18%	20%

What in your opinion are the three countries with which Israel’s relationship is the most important these days, in addition to the US? (Mitvim Foreign Policy Index, July 2023)

	2021	2022	2023
Russia	37%	40%	32%
Germany	28%	29%	31%
UK	26%	24%	28%
China	22%	23%	26%
Egypt	16%	19%	21%
France	12%	16%	20%
Saudi Arabia	3%	11%	12%
Jordan	12%	7%	12%
UAE	7%	10%	11%
Turkey	5%	11%	9%

Syria’s President Assad has apparently managed to win the civil war and reestablish his rule there. From the standpoint of Israel’s interest, is Assad’s regaining of power a positive or not a positive development? (Peace Index, July 2018)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
Very positive	10%	7.3%	23.6%
Moderately positive	24.5%	26.6%	14.1%
Not so positive	23.1%	24.7%	14.9%
Not positive at all	18.8%	18.8%	18.6%
Don’t know/No opinion	23.6%	22.5%	28.8%

In recent years Israel has been directly and indirectly helping victims of the Syrian civil war with medical services and food. Do you support or not support this aid? (Peace Index, July 2018)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
Strongly support	10%	40.2%	59.3%
Moderately support	24.5%	38%	16%
Don’t support so much	23.1%	11.9%	4.4%
Don’t support at all	18.8%	7.2%	18.7%
Don’t know/No opinion	23.6%	2.7%	1.6%

Along with the aid, Israel has made clear that it will not allow Syrian refugees to enter its territory even if their lives are endangered by Assad’s forces. In your opinion, is this approach right or not right? (Peace Index, July 2018)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
I’m sure it’s right	45.6%	50.6%	20.6%
I think it’s right	25.1%	29.3%	3.9%
I do not think it’s right	11.4%	9.2%	22.2%
I’m sure it’s not right	11.5%	5.1%	43.5%
Don’t know/No opinion	6.5%	5.8%	9.8%

Are you more worried about external/security threats to Israel, or internal/social threats? (National Security Index, December 2017)

	Israeli Jews
External/security threats	39%
Internal/social threats	24%
Worried about both equally	37%

In your opinion what is the gravest external threat to Israel today? (National Security Index, December 2017)

	Israeli Jews
Northern arena (Iran, Syria, Hezbollah)	31%
Iranian nuclear capability	21%
Terrorist activities against Israelis at home and abroad	9%
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict	21%
Hamas in Gaza	13%
Political isolation and the delegitimization of Israel	5%

Do you believe that regional cooperation between Israel and other countries in the Middle East is possible? (Mitvim Israeli Foreign Policy Index, October 2017)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
Yes	70%	69%	74%
No	23%	24%	14%
Don’t know/No opinion	7%	7%	12%

Relations with which of the following countries are most important to Israel today in your opinion(respondents were asked to pick three)? (Mitvim Israeli Foreign Policy Index, October 2017)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
Russia	51%	52%	43%
Germany	34%	37%	16%
Britain	26%	26%	20%
China	25%	28%	8%
France	20%	21%	14%
Egypt	12%	13%	8%
India	8%	9%	2%
Jordan	7%	7%	12%

Where do you think that criticism voiced in the world towards Israel primarily comes from? (Mitvim Israeli Foreign Policy Index, October 2017)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
Basic Hostility to the State of Israel	59%	66%	14%
Disagreement With Specific Israeli Government Policies	34%	30%	59%
I don’t know/ Refuse to answer	7%	4%	27%

As we know, in recent months a bloody battle has been raging in Syria between the Assad regime and opposition forces. In your opinion, in terms of Israel’s interest, would it be good or bad if the Assad regime collapses? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
Very good	20.8%	18.9%	31.1%
Moderately good	15.7%	16.7%	10.0%
Moderately bad	19.7%	18.4%	26.7%
Very bad	11.1%	8.9%	23.3%
It does not matter one way or the other	22.2%	25.7%	2.2%
I don’t know/ Refuse to answer	10.6%	11.3%	6.7%

In your opinion, should or should not Israel provide aid to one side or another in the struggle in Syria, or should it sit quietly on the sidelines? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
It should provide aid to the opposition	11.2%	9.1%	23.3%
It should provide aid to the regime	5.1%	1.5%	25.6%
It should sit quietly on the sidelines	78.8%	84.1%	48.9%
I don’t know/ Refuse to answer	4.8%	5.3%	2.2%

In your opinion, should or should not Western countries provide aid to one side or another in the struggle in Syria, or should they sit quietly on the sidelines? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
They should provide aid to the opposition	48.8%	49.8%	43.3%
They should provide aid to the regime	7.2%	4.3%	23.3%
They should sit quietly on the sidelines	33.0%	33.9%	27.8%
I don’t know/ Refuse to answer	11.2%	12.0%	5.6%

The media recently reported that Israel is preparing infrastructure on the Golan Heights to absorb Syrian refugees should the situation require it. In your opinion, should or should not Israel accept Syrian refugees if their lives are in real danger? (Peace Index, February 29, 2012)

	General Public	Jews	Arabs
I’m sure it should	14.9%	14.8%	15.6%
I think it should	27.3%	28.0%	23.3%
I think it shouldn’t	24.1%	23.8%	25.6%
I’m sure it shouldn’t	30.6%	30.4%	32.2%
I don’t know/ Refuse to answer	3.1%	3.0%	3.3%

In light of developments in Syria, Israel should (Israel Hayom, December 13, 2011)

help the rebels in Syria	5.6%
avoid involvement	80.8%
don’t know	13.6%

Do you agree of disagree with the statement that the US is a loyal ally of Israel? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Agree	65%
Disagree	11%

As an Israeli, is your attitude towards the US positive or negative? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Positive	64%
Negative	8%

Do you believe that if Israel reaches a point of serious crisis where its very existence is threatened — a "moment of truth" — the US will come to Israel’s assistance? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Yes

80%

What is the the main reason why the US will continue to maintain close ties with Israel in the future? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Israel’s critical role as a strategic partner of the US	48%
The political role of US Jewry	30%
Democratic tradition and shared values	17%

Do you believe that close relations between the US and Israel are essential for the security of Israel? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Yes

91%

Do you believe that President Bush’s attitude towards Israel is friendly? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Yes

73%

Are US and Israeli interests in the Middle East similar? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Interests are similar	60%
Two countries have different regional interests	36%

Do you think that in the near future the US might impose a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Yes	51%
No	43%

Do you believe that if the international diplomatic effort and economic sanctions fail to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, the US "should use force" to destroy the Iranian nuclear facilities? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Yes

71%

Do you agree of disagree with the statement that in retrospect the US was correct in going to war in Iraq? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Agree	59%
Disagree	36%

Do you believe that the level of American Jewish support for Israel is sufficient? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Sufficient	52%
Insufficient	33%

Do American Jews have a right to freely and publicly criticize Israel and Israeli policies? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Yes

62%

Do you believe that US Jews are assimilating rapidly and are in danger of disappearing? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Yes

49%

Do you believe that every American Jew should visit Israel? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Yes

69%

Do you think it is possible that American Jews might vote for a presidential or congressional candidate who is anti-Israel? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Yes	57%
No	38%

Do you believe that there is anti-Semitism in the US? (Ma’gar Mochot, May 1-4, 2007)

Yes, but it is not significant	54%
Yes, it is a significant problem	36%

Do you have a favorable image of Germany? (Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, February 5-7, 2007)

Yes

67%

Would you like to see Israel join the EU? (Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, February 5-7, 2007)

Yes

75%

This week the UN marked 60 years to the liberation of Auschwitz. Do you think that a Holocaust or national genocide of a similar magnitude could happen again in the future? (Maariv, January 28, 2005)

Yes	51%
No	46%

Of the following countries, which two countries dislike Israel most? (Maariv, December 17, 2004)

France	86%
Germany	46%
Russia	32%
England	13%
USA	5%

How do you personally feel about France and the French? (Maariv, December 17, 2004)

Positive	16%
Negative	40%
Neutral	40%