A poll conducted earlier this month by Rasmussen
Reports revealed that a firm 58 percent majority of
Americans view Israel as an ally, despite growing
efforts by ultra-liberal and Muslim movements to
paint the Jewish state as a manipulative enemy.
Only 5 percent of respondents characterized Israel
as an enemy, while 32 percent said the Jewish state
falls somewhere in between friend and foe.
However, 31 percent of those surveyed said they
believe relations between Israel and the US will
significantly worsen over the next 12 months.
During the first half of this year, tensions
between Washington and Jerusalem reached what some
diplomats described as a breaking point as the Obama
Administration harshly criticized Israel for
approving routine Jewish building projects in the
Israeli capital.
With a crucial mid-term congressional election
approaching, Obama changed his tune and played nice
with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the
Israeli leader's recent visit to the White House.
But most Israelis saw through the ruse, and continue
to distrust the president.
After the election, Israelis fully expect Obama to
renew heavy pressure on Israel to meet dangerous
Arab demands for "peace." As his approval ratings
dip, Obama is in need of a perceived diplomatic
victory, and none could be greater than overseeing
an Israel-Palestinian peace agreement.
But the past year has shown that as Obama cranks up
the pressure, Israelis only become more hardened in
their support for political parties that will not
surrender to demands that endanger the future of
their nation. The end result is political tension
that could eventually trickle down to the masses.
