Measuring Attitudes of Israelis Towards Human Rights Issues and Organizations

1
Measuring Attitudes of Israelis Towards Human
Rights Issues and Organizations

• A Benchmark Survey
• 3 December 2008

2
Poll Methodology

• Conducted by KEEVOON Research
• 503 Jewish Israelis
• 25 Questions
• 27 Nov. 1 Dec. 2008
• Telephone survey
• Representative, random sample
• / - 4.5 Margin of Error

3
Main Findings

• Human Rights issues are VERY important to
  Israelis
• NGO brand is weak in Israel
• No clear favorite among NGOs
• Israel perceived as BETTER on Human Rights than
  neighbors and other Western Democracies
• Correlation between age, education, religious
  observance
• Israelis think that publicizing human rights
  violations hurts Israel
• NGOs are perceived as favoring Palestinians
  biased against Israel
• Israelis want to know where source funding for
  NGOs comes
• Israelis believe their own GOVT agencies over NGO
  reports

4
On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being VERY LITTLE
and 10 being VERY MUCH, how important is the
issue of HUMAN RIGHTS in Israel to you
personally?
5 1 5
6 6 - 7
89 8 - 10
59 chose 10
5
Results of those who answered 10, VERY MUCH

• Misc.

• 2006 Vote

• 67 European/US born
• 67 Residents of south
• 67 Women (52 Men)
• 64 Haredim (43 Religious)
• 61 Secular Traditional
• 17 Soldiers

• 85 Shas
• 77 Pensioners
• 73 Meretz
• 71 UTJ
• 67 Likud
• 63 Kadima
• 57 Labor
• 49 Yisrael Beiteinu
• 35 NRP

6
Of the following NGOs that deal with Human
Rights issues in Israel, which do you think is
the most reliable?
7
Non-Governmental Organizations are private
entities with an interest in a specific
issue. Do you think that these NGOs are RELIABLE
or UNRELIABLE as a source for monitoring Human
Rights issues in Israel?
TOTALS
9 Very RELIABLE
52 43 Somewhat RELIABLE
18 Somewhat UNRELIABLE
34 16 Very UNRELIABLE
14 Dont Know / Refuse
8
Do you think that these NGOs are RELIABLE or
UNRELIABLE as a source for monitoring Human
Rights issues in Israel?

• Difference of Men and Women
• RELIABLE Men 46 vs. Women 58
• UNRELIABLE Men 39 vs. Women 30
• Difference based on education
• RELIABLE ELEM 28 vs. BA 65 vs. MA/PHD
  58
• UNRELIABLE ELEM 62 vs. BA 27 vs. MA/PHD
  37
• By 2006 vote RELIABLE
• 84 Meretz
• 72 Pensioners
• 65 Labor, Yisrael Beiteinu
• 53 UTJ
• 51 Kadima
• 49 NRP
• 45 Likud
• 34 Shas

9
Do you think that the State of Israel is BETTER
or WORSE than other Middle Eastern countries at
protecting its citizens and residents Human
Rights?
10
Israel is BETTER than other Middle Eastern
Countries

• By education
• ELEM 67 vs. BA 88 vs. MA/PHD 91
• By religious observance
• Secular 84 vs. Trad. 81 vs. Rel. 90 vs.
  Haredi 78
• 89 of soldiers
• By 2006 vote
• 94 of Meretz, 90 of Kadima Labor, 87 of NRP,
  85 of Likud Shas, 80 of Yisrael Beiteinu, 68
  of Pensioners, 63 of UTJ

11
Do you think that the State of Israel is
BETTER or WORSE than other Western Democracies
at protecting its citizens and residents Human
Rights?
12
BETTER or WORSE than other Western Democracies -
AGE
13
BETTER or WORSE than other Western Democracies -
RELIGION
14
Israel Protecting Human Rights as Compared to
Middle East and Western Countries
15
On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being dont believe
at all and 10 being very much believe, how
much do you believe the reports put out by
organizations like Amnesty International,
Machsom Watch and BTselem?
31 1 4
47 5 - 7
22 8 - 10
17 Answered 1, Only 3 Answered 10
16
Sometimes Human Rights NGOs publish reports
highlighting Israels Human Rights violations.
These are covered in the international media.
 Some people say it helps Israels image because
it shows that Israel is an open democratic
society constantly striving to correct
injustices. Others say it damages Israels image
because it shows claims that Israel violates
peoples Human Rights. In your view, does
publicizing Israels alleged human rights
violations HELP or HURT Israels image abroad.
18 It HELPS Israels image abroad
68 It HURTS Israels image abroad
5 No effect
9 Dont know / refuse
17
Do you think that Human Rights NGOs are equally
concerned with Israelis and Palestinians, or do
they favor one over the other?
18
The European Union provides tens of millions of
dollars to Israeli and Palestinian NGOs that
pursue a political agenda related to the
conflict. This includes paying for large
newspaper adverts, organizing demonstrations and
initiating law suits. Would you SUPPORT or
OPPOSE a legal requirement that activities by
such NGOs include a clear public statement on the
source of this funding?
19
SUPPORT for Legal Requirement for Source of
Funding of NGOsby 2006 Vote

• 82 of Meretz
• 80 of Pensioners
• 78 of Labor
• 74 of NRP/National Union
• 68 of Kadima
• 64 of Yisrael Beiteinu
• 63 of UTJ
• 57 of Likud
• 50 of Shas

20
SUPPORT or OPPOSE publicizing funding source -
EDUCATION
21
The European Union provides tens of millions of
dollars to Israeli and Palestinian NGOs that
pursue a political agenda related to the
conflict. This includes paying for large
newspaper adverts, organizing demonstrations and
initiating law suits. Would you SUPPORT or
OPPOSE Knesset legislation that would prohibit
Israeli organizations from accepting funding from
a foreign government for political activities?
22
In 2007, Amnesty International released more
reports condemning Israel than it did condemning
either the Palestinian Authority, or Hamas, or
Syria, or Saudi Arabia, or Libya, or Lebanon, or
Hezbollah or Iraq.Having heard this fact, do you
think that Amnesty International is RELIABLE or
UNRELIABLE as a source for monitoring Human
Rights issues in Israel?
23
In 2001 the UN sponsored the Durban Conference
which brought together 4,000 participants from
1,500 NGOs from all over the world. One of the
most important outcomes of that conference was a
declaration published that referred to Israel as
an apartheid and racist state and called for an
economic boycott. As a result do you think ..
64 Human Rights NGOs by their nature are biased against Israel
23 There is some truth in their declaration that Israel is an apartheid and racist state
13 Dont Know / Refuse
24
The US State Department and World Bank often
utilize reports of NGOs on Israeli-Palestinian
issues to formulate policy and understand the
situation on the ground better. Do you think
that
32 It is acceptable for the US State Department and World Bank to utilize reports from Human Rights NGOs operating in Israel
44 The US State Department and World Bank should use their own reports exclusively
24 Dont know /Refuse
25
Are you more likely to believe a human rights NGO
regarding a human rights violation, or are you
more likely to believe the claims of the IDF or
another official state authority?
26
For More Information

• NGO Monitor

• KEEVOON Research

• Prof. Gerald Steinberg
• 1 Ben Maimon Street
• Jerusalem
• Tel [phone]
• Email mail_at_ngo-monitor.org
• www.ngo-monitor.org

• Mitchell Barak
• 2 Beitar Street
• Jerusalem
• Tel [phone]
• Email info_at_keevoon.com
• www.keevoon.com