Poll shows Egyptians view Israel as most hostile state

The report comes in the wake of reports of an increasingly positive relationship between Israel and Egypt due to security coordination.

By RO YEGER
Updated: SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 18:43
An Egyptian soldier stands near the Egyptian national flag and the Israeli flag at the Taba crossing between Egypt and Israel (photo credit: REUTERS)
An Egyptian soldier stands near the Egyptian national flag and the Israeli flag at the Taba crossing between Egypt and Israel
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Egyptian public perception views Israel as the most hostile state, according to a report published on Tuesday.
The report, published by the Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research, was based on a poll conducted in May 2015 analyzing the perceived hostility or friendliness of 26 countries from across the globe. Participants were asked to rate the countries as friendly, very friendly, neutral, hostile or very hostile on an index ranging from -100 to 100, with negative figures indicating hostility and positive numbers indicating friendliness. 
According to the report, with over 1,500 citizens over the age of 18 polled, Saudi Arabia was found to be the most friendly country toward Egypt according to public perception, having scored a +88 in poll responses. Following closely as second-most friendly to Egypt was the United Arab Emirates, which scored a +82. Kuwait, Bahrain, Sudan, Oman, Tunisia and Morocco rounded out the top eight perceived friendliest countries.
Israel was ranked as the most hostile country having received a score of -88 on the poll's index. The United States was listed as the second most hostile country having scored a -32. Iran, Turkey, Qatar and Denmark were also among the countries receiving negative scores.
The report comes despite the increasingly positive relationship between Israel and Egypt.
Earlier this month, a high-level Egyptian source said that relations between Israel and Egypt are at their “best,” perhaps the best they’ve ever been, because of ongoing security coordination.
Additionally, early this week, Egyptian President Abdul Fatah al-Sisi called to expand Egypt's peace with Israel to include more Arab countries, receiving high praise from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid.
"I praise the comments made by the Egyptian president," Lapid said. "Sisi's comments prove that there exists today an opportunity to advance a regional agreement with moderate Arab states," he added.
Ariel Ben Solomon contributed to this report.