80% of Jewish Israelis say state is in danger

The poll found that among Jews, 26.5 percent of Israelis define the level of security-military danger to Israel as very high and 54.1% as moderately high.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Updated: AUGUST 6, 2015 09:46
A jewish man passes a banner which reads ‘Peace Now’ during a pro-Israel demonstration held in Amsterdam several years ago. (photo credit: REUTERS)
A jewish man passes a banner which reads ‘Peace Now’ during a pro-Israel demonstration held in Amsterdam several years ago.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
More than four fifths of Jewish Israelis believe there is high level of danger to Israel, according to the monthly Peace Index poll released Wednesday by the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University.
The poll found that among Jews, 26.5 percent of Israelis define the level of security-military danger to Israel as very high and 54.1% as moderately high; 11.5 percent defined it as moderately low, 5.4% as low, and 2.5% said they did not know or declined to answer.
Among Israeli Arabs, 28.1% said the danger to Israel is very high, 14.2% said moderately high, 5.4% moderately low, 13.9% said low, and 38.4% said they did not know or declined to answer.
The poll made reference to the ongoing debate on whether defense receives the proper portion of the state budget. Among Jews, 26.1% say it receives the appropriate amount, 14.9% said it is much too high, 26% a little too high, 15.6% said a little too low, 4.2% much too low, and 13.4% did not know or declined to answer.
Among Israeli Arabs, 50% said the defense budget is much too high, 3.1% a little too high, 8.1% called it appropriate, four percent a little too low, 4.4% much too low, and 30.3% did not know or declined to answer.
Asked whether given the current situation, Israel should transfer funds from defense to welfare, health and other socioeconomic ministries, 36.4% of the general public moderately agree, 21.9% strongly agree, 18.3% moderately disagree, 15% do not agree at all, and 8.5% said they did not know or declined to answer.
Some 39% of the Jews surveyed believe that senior members of the defense establishment purposely exaggerate the security threats Israel faces in order to increase the defense budget or prevent cuts, while 51% disagreed.
The poll found that despite the controversial Locker Report and the deliberations over the defense budget, the IDF has retained its position as the most trusted national institution, over the Knesset and the Supreme Court.
When asked to select the most trusted national institution from among the IDF, the Knesset, and the Supreme Court, 51% of the public chose the IDF, 22.7% selected the Supreme Court and 3.1% the Knesset. Among Jewish respondents only, the IDF was cited as most trustworthy by 61%.
The survey was conducted by telephone from July 27 to 30 among 600 respondents who constitute a representative sample of the adult population of Israel aged 18 and over.
The margin of error for the sample is ±4.1% at a confidence level of 95%.