Attitudes Toward the New Middle East: Surveys of Arab and Jewish Opinion in Israel

Now that the perpetually stalled peace process appears to be at a standstill, how do Arab and Jewish Israelis view other increasingly important issues in the region? What is their opinion on the Arab Spring? How do Israelis feel about the prospect of war with Iran? What are the Israeli public’s views on President Obama and the United States?

On December 1, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings hosted Nonresident Senior Fellow Shibley Telhami for the release of his annual survey of Arab and Jewish Israeli public opinion. Telhami, the poll’s principal investigator and the Anwar Sadat professor for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland, presented his research and key findings followed by a discussion with Nahum Barnea, columnist for Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth. William Galston, senior fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings, provided introductory remarks and moderated the discussion.

After the program, the panelists took audience questions.