Most Israelis believe that Israel's security is not a central consideration for US President Donald Trump, according to a survey published on Tuesday by the Israel Democracy Institute.
The Israeli Voice Index, conducted in June by the Viterbi Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research, found that just 28% of Israelis believe Trump prioritizes Israel's security, a new low down from 44% in the previous survey in May.
The survey, based on a sample of 754 Israeli participants (151 of whom are Arab), found that just 38% of Jewish Israelis believe Israel's national security situation is better off than it was prior to the start of the war with Iran earlier this year.
Notably, the findings showed that most Jewish Israelis believe the current strain in US-Israel relations is temporary, while Arab Israelis are more divided on the issue.
On the issue of security, 72% of respondents said the IDF should maintain a permanent presence in southern Lebanon regardless of any friction the move may cause with the United States.
Regarding the recent protests and riots by haredim over the IDF draft (ultra-Orthodox), nearly half of participants said they believe the Israel Police are too lenient in how they deal with the demonstrators. On the other hand, the vast majority of haredim said that police treatment was too harsh.
On that note, about half of haredim polled said they were disappointed in their political leaders, while just a third of Israelis overall said they identified a political party that fit their opinions.
Election issues and antisemitism
On the subject of the Basic Law: Torah Study bill currently making its way through the Knesset, just over half of respondents said it was too close to an election to advance such an important piece of legislation.
A small majority said they supported an election for a new state comptroller amid the recent voter-confidentiality controversy.
The survey further found that a majority of Israelis cited antisemitism as impacting their summer vacation getaways, with 41% saying it affected their choice of destination, while 15% said they will not travel abroad at all.