Poll shows strong support for EU in Israel

A recent poll in Israel shows that Israelis are far more positive about Europe than is generally imagined.

The Ben-Gurion University of the Negev survey, published July 11, shows strong and growing support for Israeli membership in the European Union.

The poll shows that 81 percent of Israelis would like to join the EU, an increase of 12 percentage points since the last survey in 2009.

The survey, titled “Israeli Positions on the EU,” questioned 1,000 people from a representative sample of the Israeli population, and has a 3.3 percent margin of error.

The poll was compiled by Dr. Sharon Pardo, Jean Monnet chair in European Studies in the Department of Politics and Government at Ben-Gurion University. Pardo said “The results demonstrate that the Israeli public views the European Union as a crucial player and that Israelis believe in stronger cooperation and not in isolation.”

“Israelis are really into strengthening and deepening the cooperation between Israel and the EU,” Pardo said, adding, “Israelis understand the importance of the EU for the future of Israel and they want to strengthen the relations.”

Pardo’s survey found that German Chancellor Angela Merkel is the most popular European leader among Israelis, with a favorable rating of 55 percent.

It also found that 64 percent of Israelis would support the deployment of nato troops in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

When asked why Israelis are often viewed as being anti-European, Pardo said, “We know that there is this misperception that Israelis are anti- European, and the survey shows that this is actually not the truth and that Israelis are de facto pro-European. They might not like policies of the EU and they may be critical of them, but they want to be as close as possible to the EU for a non-EU country.”

Israel has never applied to join the EU, and we don’t expect it to do so. However, the results of this survey reveal an Israeli mindset that is amenable to European involvement in peace-keeping responsibilities in the region. The Bible specifically prophesies that when Israel sees the futility of the peace process, it will seek help from Germany. The prophecy is recorded in Hosea 5:13: “When … Judah [the biblical name for today’s Jewish State of Israel] saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and [Judah] sent to [Assyrian] king Jareb ….” Biblical prophecy also reveals, however, that Europe will prove to be a counterfeit peacemaker.