Poll: Majority of Israelis believes Trump could achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace

The poll also found that only 3% of those surveyed have no doubt the president-elect will move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

By TAMARA ZIEVE
Updated: DECEMBER 6, 2016 00:06
Donald Trump (photo credit: REUTERS/JOE RAEDLE/POOL)
Donald Trump
(photo credit: REUTERS/JOE RAEDLE/POOL)
A majority of Israelis believe US President- elect Donald Trump will be a pro-Israel president, expect him to follow through on campaign promises and think he could even make peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, according to a poll released by the Ruderman Family Foundation on Monday.
The survey, conducted by polling agency Dialog, asked Israelis a number of questions about their views on the recent US presidential election and its impact on Israel and antisemitism. Their responses indicate a favorable Israeli view of the president-elect.
Of the 500 Israelis who participated in the survey, 83% envision Trump as a pro-Israel leader, while 17% think otherwise.
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While 48% of respondents said there was no chance of Trump bringing about an Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty, 45% said there was a possible chance, 7% a high chance and 1% believe his leadership will undoubtedly lead to a peace treaty.
The poll revealed that a majority of Israelis believe Trump will follow through on both his promise to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as well his vow to nix the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, which he as slammed as “one of the dumbest deals ever.” While 42% of respondents think there is “no chance” that Trump will scrap the nuclear agreement, 43% said there was a possible chance, 13% a high chance and 2% have “no doubt.”
Meanwhile, 3% believe the president- elect will undoubtedly act on his promise to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem, 22% see a high chance and 49% a possible chance.
An overwhelming majority of respondents (80%) expressed some concern about the increase in reported antisemitic incidents in the US since Trump’s victory on November 8. Of those respondents, 16% are very concerned, 32% concerned and the same number slightly concerned.
Only 19%, however, feel that the status of US Jewry will be weakened following Trump’s victory; 32% believe their status will be strengthened and 49% do not expect any change.
“Our poll of Israelis regarding the new US administration and its impending impact on Israel and American Jewry shows that Israelis are optimistic that President-elect Trump will be a friend of Israel, while at the same time they are concerned about the growing incidents of antisemitism in the United States and its impact on the American Jewish community,” said Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation, which focuses on strengthening the relationship between Israel and the American Jewish community.
“Israelis have faith in a strong relationship between the United States and Israel, but are worried about the new reality for their fellow Jews in America,” he added.
The margin of error in the poll is 4%.
The survey was conducted by telephone from a pool of 500 Israelis between the ages of 18 and 65.