Americans have a favorable view of Israel, especially Republicans

1.

You might want to check out this Gallup poll.

Israel might not be one of the top four most favorable countries in America, but it is among the top five. Following Canada, Britain, Germany and Japan - and more favorable than countries like India, France and Mexico (India is in a better position when it comes to unfavorable views).

I can tell you as much: Israel's ambassador to Washington, Salai Meridor, is quite satisfied. American support, he says, is essential today as it ever was.

2.

Two of the countries with which Israel has some issues to solve are among the three less favorable countries: Iran at the bottom, the Palestinian authority third from the bottom (they are separated by North Korea). The most surprising Arab country in this poll is Egypt, with 61% favorability, and only 26% of Americans mentioning it in the unfavorable column - just one percent more than Israel.

3.

I wrote quite a lot in the past about polls measuring Israel's favorability ranking in America. This post, for example, was dealing with a similar poll by Quinnipiac University:

In a survey asking Americans to identify countries in which support of America is the most visible, the public identified England, Canada and Israel as the most favorable and Iran, North Korea and Cuba as the least favorable.

So the trend is similar: when the name of Israel is presented, very few (mostly English speaking) countries get a more favorable rating. In this post I wrote about previous Gallup poll (from Feb. 2006):

In its surveys, Gallup usually asks whether the sympathies of the interviewees lie more with the Israelis or with Palestinians. Sympathy for Israel is now at one of its highest points ever. Only twice in the past 15 years has it been higher: During the first Iraq war in 1991 (Iraq was then launching Scud missiles into Israel) and shortly before the second war with Iraq, in 2003.

4.

So what's new about this new survey? Not much. And some of the more troubling political trends are in play more than ever.

For one: "Israel, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq are all viewed more favorably by Republicans than by Democrats".

Are they trying to tell us something?

Apparently they do, because the Democrats seem to be far less supportive of Israel than Republicans. The margin is significant - 20% (84% GOP, 64% Dem. Note that they dislike Iran and the Palestinian Authority in similar numbers). And one can argue that 64% is still very nice, a clear and unshakable majority. But imagine this: If Democrats would have been as favorable of Israel as Republicans, Israel would have been at the top of the list, second only to Canada and Britain.

5.

And here is another such nugget: "Younger adults are also more likely than those 55 and older to have favorable views of" Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, Iran. They are less likely to have favorable view of Israel.

6.

Israel has some 25% of staunch supporters (very favorable). This something India and Egypt, who fare quite well in this poll, do not have. And take a look at the second half of this poll (come to think of it, it is possibly the first half):

The 71% of Americans viewing Israel favorably today is eight points higher than the 63% recorded last year, and is the highest favorable score for Israel since the 79% recorded during the 1991 Gulf War.

Three countries, France, Israel, and Iraq, are now held in higher esteem by Americans than they were a year ago. With France the reason is clear: President Sarkozy. With Iraq it is also clear: General Petraeus.

And for Israel?

2006 was probably a fluke.