Published:
International Poll: Most Publics - Including Americans - Oppose Taking Sides in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
COLLEGE PARK, Md., July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new WorldPublicOpinion.org poll of 18 countries finds that in 14 of them people mostly say their government should not take sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Just three countries favor taking the Palestinian side (Egypt,Iran, andTurkey). No country favors taking Israel's side, includingthe United States, where 71 percent favor taking neither side.
World publics give low marks toIsrael, the Palestinians,the United States and the Arab countries when asked how well they are doing their part in the effort to resolve the conflict.
Publics in most countries think the United Nations should play a greater role in the conflict in theMiddle East. Majorities say the UN should offer to send peacekeepers to the region not only to enforce an eventual agreement but also to guarantee the security of bothIsrael and its Arab neighbors.
"Publics around the world are not cheering for either side and want their governments to take an even-handed approach," said Steven Kull, director of WorldPublicOpinion.org. "All of the key actors are seen as failing to do their part to break the impasse and most want the UN Security Council to step in and offer peacekeeping forces and even security guarantees to help resolve the conflict."
The poll of 18,792 respondents was conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org, a collaborative research project involving research centers from around the world and managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland.
Interviews were conducted in 18 countries:China,India,the United States,Indonesia,Nigeria,Russia,Mexico,Peru,Great Britain,France,Spain,Azerbaijan,Ukraine,Egypt,Iran,Turkey,Thailand andSouth Korea. The Palestinian Territories were also polled. The survey was fielded between January 10 and May 6. Margins of error range from +/-2 to 4 percent.
On average 58 percent of those polled around the world say that they believe their country should not take either side in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Only 20 percent say their country should favor the Palestinians and just 7 percent say the Israelis.
Large majorities of about 70 percent or more prefer a neutral stance in eight countries, includingthe United States (71%), as well asMexico (88%),South Korea (82%),Great Britain (79%),France (79%),Peru (76%),China (74%), andUkraine (69%).
For more information, visit: http://www.WorldPublicOpinion.org.
SOURCE Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland
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