A Russian-language news site this week published a survey of Israeli attitudes that shows close to 50% of Israelis see Russia as “an enemy of Israel.”
The survey took place from August 15-17, with 4,712 respondents participating.
What was the poll?
According to the survey, published by NEWS.ru.il, 49% of respondents say Russia is “an enemy of Israel”; 42% believe that Russia is “neither a friend nor an enemy of Israel”; and only 6% consider Russia “a friend of Israel.” Among immigrants from Ukraine, there is noticeably more hostility toward Russia: 61% see Russia as an enemy of Israel while 37% of Russian immigrants think so.
In addition, 66% of the respondents have said that they currently have a negative attitude toward the Russian Federation, among them 58% of Russian immigrants and 76% of Ukrainian immigrants. Just 13% of respondents view the Russian federation positively.
The respondents’ attitudes toward the United States, however, showed that 63% consider the US to be “a friend of Israel.” Less than 2% considered the US “an enemy of Israel.”
Interestingly, 63% consider Ukraine to be “neither a friend nor an enemy of Israel,” and only 23% call Ukraine a friend of Israel while 10% of respondents classified Ukraine as an enemy of Israel.
Asked which countries Israel should strengthen relationships with, 80% said the US, 69% said the European Union, 61% said neighboring countries that do not consider Israel an enemy state (Jordan, Egypt, Cyprus), 46% said the UK, 45% said Arab countries of the Persian Gulf and 44% said Canada, JPOST reports.
