Poll: Israelis Want to Reduce Dependence on US
Wednesday, December 04, 2013 | Israel Today Staff
Nearly half of Israelis believe it is time to reduce their nation's dependence on America and seek new allies, according to the latest edition of a monthly poll conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute.
While 71 percent of those polled labeled America as Israel's truest ally, a 49 percent plurality said it was time to find a new national benefactor, though less than 30 percent believed Israel would be successful on that front.
Most Israelis view America as a diminishing ally for two reasons:
- The Obama Administration is viewed as overtly hostile toward the Jewish state, a perception only enhanced by Secretary of State John Kerry's recent remarks that Israeli concerns over Iran's nuclear deal were secondary to America's agenda; and
- Washington's failure to correctly gauge the "Arab Spring," punish the Assad regime for using chemical weapons against Syrians, and leverage economic sanctions to bring an actual end to Iran's nuclear program make America look weak in the Middle East.
Over the past year, Israel has been seen cozying up to Russia, which has been all too happy to fill the void left by America, not only in Israel, but around the region.
Israel has also boosted relations with China of late, sending several delegations aimed at involving Beijing more directly in the Middle East peace process.
Burgeoning Israel-China relations and cooperation on diplomatic issues like defensible borders is all discussed in greater depth in the upcoming issue of Israel Today Magazine.
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