Press Release

December 2013 Peace Index

Two-Thirds of Israelis Believe US is Committed to Israeli Security in Peace Talks Majority of Israelis Believe Netanyahu Gov't Can Withstand American Pressure if Proposal Bad for Israel

Two-Thirds of Israelis Believe US is Committed to Israeli Security in Peace Talks

Majority of Israelis Believe Netanyahu Gov't Can Withstand American Pressure if Proposal Bad for Israel

Monday, 6 January 2014, Israel Democracy Institute, 4 Pinsker St., Jerusalem – The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) and Tel Aviv University are releasing the monthly Peace Index poll covering Israeli public opinion on the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, trust between the parties, and American involvement in negotiations.

Israelis were asked about trust and trust building between Israelis and Palestinians.

  • Trust between Israelis and Palestinians: 55% of the Jewish public believes that it is impossible at present to build trust between Israelis and Palestinians, while 43% of the Jewish public believes it is possible. 74% of the Arab public believes it is possible at present to build trust between Israelis and Palestinians, and 25% believe it is not possible at present.
  • Responsibility for Building Trust: A majority of Israelis (58% of Israeli Jews and 60% of Israeli Arabs) believe that both Israelis and Palestinians have equal responsibility to take significant steps to build trust. 27% of Israeli Jews believe that mainly the Palestinian side has the responsibility to take more significant steps, and 11% believe mainly the Israeli side has responsibility. 32% of Israeli Arabs believe that mainly the Israeli side has responsibility to take the more significant steps, and 5% believe the Palestinian side has the responsibility.

The survey assessed Israeli opinion regarding American commitments and pressure.

  • US Commitment to Achieving Peace: 62% of Israelis (59% of Israeli Jews and 72% of Israeli Arabs) believe the US, and particularly Secretary of State John Kerry, is committed to reaching a signed peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israel. 34% of Israelis (35% of Israeli Jews and 25% of Israeli Arabs) do not believe the US is committed to reaching a signed peace agreement.
  • US Commitment to Israeli Security: 66% of Israelis (64% of Jewish Israelis and 78% of Israeli Arabs) believe the US, and particularly Secretary of State John Kerry, is committed to ensuring Israel's security in negotiations with the Palestinians. 30% of Israelis (32% of Jewish Israelis and 18% of Arab Israelis) do not believe the US is committed to Israeli security.
  • Necessity of American Pressure: 50% of the Jewish public agrees that the only way to get the Palestinians and Israel to agree is through strong external pressure mainly from the US as the two sides will never reach an agreement by themselves, while 49% of the Jewish public disagrees that strong external pressure is required. 77% of the Arab public agrees that strong external pressure is needed to push the parties to an agreement, and 19% disagree that external pressure is necessary.
  • Position on American Pressure: 53% of Jewish Israelis oppose the US exerting pressure on the two sides to push them toward an agreement, while 43% support such pressure. 79% of Arab Israelis support the US exerting pressure on both sides, and 18% oppose pressure.
  • Israel Standing Up to American Pressure: 51% of Israelis (48% of the Jewish public and 65% of the Arab public) believe that the Netanyahu-led government would be able to withstand strong American pressure if the Israeli government deemed the peace plan not good for Israel. 43% of Israelis (47% of the Jewish public and 21% of the Arab public) believe that the government could not withstand strong American pressure.

Israelis were asked about the recent spate of terrorist attacks against Israeli targets.

  • Is a Third Intifada Underway?: 49% of the Jewish public agrees with the official position of the Israeli defense establishment that the series of recent terror attacks are not a third intifada but an assortment of attacks by lone individuals, while 45% disagree with the defense establishment's position. 67% of the Arab public disagrees with the defense establishment position that recent terror attacks are not part of a third intifada, and 28% agree with the defense establishment.

This survey, conducted December 30 - 31, 2013, included 606 respondents who constitute a representative sample of the adult population of Israel. The measurement error for a sample of this size is 4.5%.

The full results of the Peace Index are available on the IDI website.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Peace Index Co-Director Prof. Tamar Hermann, contact:
Yehoshua Oz
Director of International Communications
press@idi.org.il
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