New poll shows strong anti-Arab sentiments among Israeli Jews

A new poll shows particularly strong anti-Arab sentiments that exist among Israeli Jews.

The survey conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute polled 500 Israelis from across the religious divide. The results showed that secular Israelis were far more tolerant of Arabs, whereas the more religious respondents had a bigger issue accepting the other.

Twelve percent of respondents said the statement “Most Jews are better than most non-Jews because they were born Jews” and 11% said it was pretty correct. Only 43% rejected the statement completely.

Sixty percent of respondents were at least a little disturbed by the fact that half the pharmacists in Israel are Arabs.

Fourty-four percent of respondents were at least a little disturbed by the fact that an Arab-Israeli justice, Moshe Kara, headed the panel that convicted former president Moshe Katzav of rape.

Seventy-four percent of respondents said they get at least a little disturbed by hearing conversation in Arabic while in a public space.

Eighty-eight percent of respondents said they would be disturbed to some degree if their son were to befriend an Arab girl. The number climbed to 90% when respondents were asked about their daughter befriending an Arab boy.