Most Israelis find Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to be most suitable candidate to handle security issues, the Israel Democracy Institute Peace Index poll found on Tuesday.Fifty-three percent of Israeli Jews chose Netanyahu as able to handle security matters, followed by Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman (28%), Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett (25%), former IDF chief of staff and Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz (22%), Tzipi Livni (19%), Labor leader Shelly Yacimovich (14%) and Yesh Atid's Yair Lapid, who scored lowest with 8%.As for who would best handle economic matters, Yacimovich received the most votes, from 45% of the respondents. Netanyahu came in second place with 36%, then Lapid with 25%, Bennett with 20%, and Livni with 19%. Liberman and Mofaz received the least votes, with 17% and 12%, respectively.In addition, 55% of Jewish Israelis consider themselves right-wing, while 21% say they're centrist and 17% left-wing. Half of the respondents said they would vote for secular or religious right-wing parties, 30% for the center and left, and 20% were undecided.Two-thirds (67%) of Jewish Israelis think the peace process with Palestinians will remain at a standstill regardless of which parties win in the election, and half believe Israel should continue with its current policy, even if it will bring a confrontation with the US.
(photo credit: The Jerusalem Post)