When given eight choices on what issues are of most concern to them and their family, security received the most responses.
By GIL HOFFMANAn Iron Dome anti-missile system fires an interceptor missile as rockets are launched from Gaza toward Israel on August 9(photo credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)
Security is the top concern of Israeli voters ahead of the April 9 general election, according to a comprehensive poll on attitudes to the vote whose results were released hours after Monday’s rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.The 80-question survey was answered in Hebrew or Arabic by 1,000 respondents representing a statistical sample of the country’s Israeli population. It was taken by respected international pollster Mitchell Barak of Keevoon Strategies for the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, and had a ±2.25% margin of error.When given eight choices on what issues are of most concern to them and their family, security received the most responses, followed by employment, education, corruption, health care, democracy, the lack of a peace process and regional cooperation.Arabic-speaking respondents were more likely to value democracy and the lack of a peace process. Those living in settlements were more likely to prioritize education, and were least concerned about corruption.Asked about specific strategic threats, Israelis cited corruption of their politicians more than Palestinian terror, the nuclear threat from Iran, the international BDS campaign, and social gaps between rich and poor. Nearly half of respondents rated corruption as a serious issue.“Corruption registers as a strategic threat, but I am not convinced that it leads to action, like voting,” Barak told reporters at a press conference at the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung’s office in Jerusalem.The poll found that 73% of Israelis view US President Donald Trump favorably, much more than the 29% who viewed him favorably when he was a candidate for president three years ago. Trump received better ratings from residents of settlements and Russian speakers and poorer grades from Israeli Arabs.When asked if Trump is an honest broker or favors one side in the Arab-Israeli conflict, 40% called him an honest broker, 42% said he favors Israel and two percent said he favors the Palestinians. Among Israeli Arabs, 72% said he favored Israel.Asked about the European Union, 70% said it favors the Palestinians, 15% that it is an honest broker and four percent that it favors Israel.Regarding Trump’s “ultimate deal” Middle East peace plan, 31% of Israelis said they were optimistic that it could succeed while 63% responded they were pessimistic.
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