Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., April 10, 2008 Nisan 5, 5768 | | Israel Time: 14:11 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 21:16 06/03/2007 The BBC poll - Israel as Satan's bastard child By Bradley Burston A BBC World Service-commissioned poll released this week proves, if nothing else, that the nature of the question pollsters ask will determine the answers they receive. It also suggested, without having to say so explicitly, that Israel is the bastard child of Satan, the troublemaking twin of its arch-nemesis Iran. The poll, a survey of more than 28,000 people in 27 countries, asked respondents to rate 12 countries - Britain, Canada, China, France, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, North Korea, Russia, the USA, Venezuela, and the European Union - as having a positive or negative influence. Who, in other words, is a bad influence? Who's the kid down the block you want your kids to play with, and who's the one - for whatever reason, behavior, stigma, cooties - you want your precious one to avoid. Significantly, the poll was taken beginning in November, when the memory of the second Lebanon war, bitter, bloody, and high in civilian casualties, was fresh. According to the BBC, the survey "gave respondents a list of 12 countries and asked whether they had a 'mostly positive or mostly negative influence in the world. "The country with the highest number of mostly negative responses overall is Israel (56% negative, 17% positive), followed by Iran (54% negative 18% positive), the United States (51% negative, 30% positive), and North Korea (48% negative, 19% positive)." Wait, there's more. "Israel also stands out for having the largest number of countries (23 of 27) viewing it negatively. Iran is regarded unfavorably in 21 countries, the United States and North Korea in 20." One suspects that somewhere in the BBC's august headquarters in London, the poll elicited more than one thin smile of satisfaction. After all, this is the same news organization accused by an internal inquiry less than a year ago of painting too rosy a picture of Israel. No further inquiry needed. For the record, the kids down the block to encourage your kids to cultivate are Canadian. A total of 54 percent said they viewed Canada positively and 14 percent negatively, followed by Japan and France. "It appears that people around the world tend to look negatively on countries whose profile is marked by the use or pursuit of military power," said pollster Steven Kull, who directed the survey. "This includes Israel and the US, who have recently used military force, and North Korea and Iran, who are perceived as trying to develop nuclear weapons. "Countries that relate to the world primarily through soft power, like Japan, France, and the EU in general, tend to be viewed positively," he added. The BBC poll coincides with a Gallup survey of Americans' attitudes toward Israel and the Palestinians, as detailed by Shmuel Rosner in his current blog. As he notes, the poll shows sympathy for the Palestinian side rebounding, reaching its highest level since 1989. In Jerusalem, a morning radio news report of the BBC poll noted that "Israel invests only $35 million a year for hazbara [loosely, political public relations], and even that budget was cut recently by 5 percent. Perhaps more telling was the musical frame for the report - an old song whose lyrics go "The whole world is against us." The whole world is against us It's a very old tune Which our forefathers taught us To croon and also to dance to. ___________________ Recent blogs: Why Israelis hate the left, or, How to Speak Leftist Ten reasons the left hates Israel - five good, five bad In what state should Bibi run for the U.S. Senate? Is the BBC too pro-Israel? Is The NY Times? ___________________ The guiding principles of the talkback forum for this article will be mutual respect and openness to dialogue. Participants, even if they rule out, dismiss or oppose coexistence, must, within the confines of this forum, practice it. Censorship will be unapologetic. Political orientation will have absolutely no bearing on whether a comment is posted or rejected. The following will be grounds for deletion: 1. Racist remarks, as well as slurs on the basis of religion, ethnicity and gender. 2. Use of the terms Nazi, Hitler, to describe the actions and policies of Israelis, Palestinians or other parties to the Israel-Arab conflict. 3. Disparaging remarks, personal attacks, vulgarities and profanities directed at other participants in the forum. 4. Advocacy of violence against individuals or religious, ethnic or racial groups, including statements which may be construed as urging attacks on leaders, officials, security forces or civilians. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Carter's contacts Report: Ex-U.S. president Carter to meet with Hamas leader in Syria. Warning shouts Officer: Palestinians warned Israelis of terrorist infiltration.   1.   THE POLL WAS TAKEN AMONG TRADITIONAL ALLIES 09:46  |  indrajaya 06/03/07   2.   Ask US for money to fight this 09:46  |  Susan 06/03/07   3.   Does it surprise you? 09:51  |  Nada 06/03/07   4.   LOL- The Axis of Evil 09:56  |  Clickfool 06/03/07   5.   Infamy! Infamy! 09:59  |  Clickfool 06/03/07   6.   A SMALL MESSAGE OF LOVE 10:00  |  indrajaya 06/03/07   7.   Clickfool prediction of the week 10:00  |  Clickfool 06/03/07   8.   Not EVERYONE owns a Bible 10:01  |  Cheryl 06/03/07   9.   ISRAEL IS G-D`S FIRSTBORN SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS ??? 10:05  |  Bill. 06/03/07   10.   Not a Surprise 10:09  |  Josue 06/03/07   11.   Wake up call for Israel 10:11  |  Ramez 06/03/07   12.   funny huh!! 10:14  |  Malak 06/03/07   13.   Smoke and mirrors 10:17  |  Faraz 06/03/07   14.   LET ME EXPLAIN 10:19  |  indrajaya 06/03/07   15.   indyradga, you mean FORMER ALLIES! 10:21  |  Josue 06/03/07   16.   #2 Susan, are you suggesting 10:22  |  Holden 06/03/07   17.   For Bill # 9 10:22  |  Clickfool 06/03/07   18.   indrajaya of jakarta 10:30  |  Akiva Patysh, Tzioni 06/03/07   19.   Israels policies and the problem with the word "tricky"........ 10:33  |  Swiss (Dino) 06/03/07   20.   I long for the day 10:38  |  JW 06/03/07   21.   roamers and troublemakers 10:52  |  christoph 06/03/07   22.   shoot messenger and bury head... 10:57  |  anything but zionist 06/03/07   23.   "the nature of the question" 10:57  |  Contemplative 06/03/07   24.   Israeli PR Fund 11:02  |  Walid 06/03/07   25.   The BBC is harvesting what it has sown for years 11:10  |  Geulah 06/03/07   26.   BBC Poll 11:12  |  Madeleine 06/03/07   27.   THIS IS AN EASY POLL 11:14  |  indrajaya 06/03/07   28.   THIS IS AN EASY POLL 11:14  |  indrajaya 06/03/07   29.   to Geulah 11:25  |  Noura 06/03/07   30.   What the poll should`ve asked 11:26  |  JB 06/03/07   31.   BBC - right or wrong? 11:30  |  S 06/03/07   32.   Food for thought 11:36  |  Ben Alofs 06/03/07   33.   $$$ 140 billion $$$$ 11:38  |  Walid 06/03/07   34.   Bomb all that think bad of us! 11:39  |  Andreas 06/03/07   35.   # 26, JB, LOL 11:45  |  Indrajaya 06/03/07   36.   World Popularity contest".Goodees /Badees" 11:47  |  Arik 06/03/07   37.   " What the poll should`ve asked" 11:48  |  Andreas 06/03/07   38.   Israel and the BBC 11:48  |  Naim S. Mahlab 06/03/07   39.   *16 CLICKFOOL . 11:48  |  Bill. 06/03/07   40.   @21, anythingbutzionist, study english first 11:49  |  vladimir 06/03/07   41.   @3, walid, i hope next time we will finish all of you cowards 11:50  |  vladimir 06/03/07   42.   To all, but NOT TO clickFOOL, indrajaya, ballisick, marilyn 11:51  |  mary 06/03/07   43.   #31. Indrajaya 11:58  |  JB 06/03/07   44.   WALID 11:59  |  Dave Keon 06/03/07   45.   # 30, ANDREAS 12:00  |  indrajaya 06/03/07   46.   JB 12:01  |  Walid 06/03/07   47.   What say you.........??????? 12:04  |  Fairman 06/03/07   48.   Well yet another highly scientific study 12:05  |  Danny - Israeli one 06/03/07   49.   Ben the arbitor of decency 12:07  |  The jew 06/03/07   50.   palestinian who hates the bbc (yes its true) 12:11  |  palestinian 06/03/07   51.   "Israel must embrace the world" 12:11  |  Anne 06/03/07   52.   # 38, MARY 12:13  |  indrajaya 06/03/07   53.   Ben Alofs 12:17  |  Reality 06/03/07   54.   #2 Susan 12:19  |  Boycott 06/03/07   55.   Less than 45% of US citizens view Israel positively 12:20  |  Phillies Wright 06/03/07   56.   Excuses to not negotiate? 12:20  |  Swiss Mocha 06/03/07   57.   #9 Bill from NZ 12:22  |  Metatron 06/03/07   58.   Well Deserved 1st Prize 12:23  |  Walid 06/03/07   59.   Click Brit 12:25  |  love the Brit Jaguar 06/03/07   60.   WE should rush to US not 10 years Military Aid but 12:26  |  Aaron. 06/03/07   61.   My my my...BBC must be anti-semite ! 12:26  |  Hani 06/03/07   62.   # 26 JB 12:26  |  Swiss (Dino) 06/03/07   63.   Not all, but a lot 12:29  |  Sam 06/03/07   64.   Jealousy 12:29  |  shulamit 06/03/07   65.   You may put your rose colored glasses back on now 12:30  |  Guy From NYC 06/03/07   66.   You may put your rose colored glasses back on now 12:30  |  Guy From NYC 06/03/07   67.   Now that`s the Pot Calling the Kettle Black 12:30  |  Tzfonit 06/03/07   68.   For Bill again # 35 12:33  |  Clickfool 06/03/07   69.   # 39, JB 12:36  |  indrajaya 06/03/07   70.   The Poll--What a joke! 12:38  |  ATLAS 06/03/07   71.   *53 METATRON 12:39  |  BILL 06/03/07   72.