Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Poll: 70% of Americans see Israel as U.S. friend

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey asked adults to rate the United States’ relationship with 18 other countries whose names are regularly and prominently in the headlines, and North Korea and Iran top the list of America’s enemies by far.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of Americans describe North Korea as an enemy of the United States. Only four percent (4%) view the isolated Communist state as an ally, Iran is seen an enemy by 70% of adults, while five percent (5%) describe it as an American ally.

More than two-third of Americans regard Israel as an ally despite recent diplomatic tensions,The 70 percent who view Israel as America's friend marks twice the number of respondents who view Egypt as an ally, though that Middle Eastern country has been polled as the most highly regarded Islamic country among Americans.

According to the poll, 81 percent of U.S. voters agree that Palestine Authority leaders must recognize Israel's right to exist as part of any future Middle Eastern peace agreement.