Poll results that were released during the weekend of Nov. 15 in the Yisrael HaYom newspaper showed that 65.5% of Israelis oppose the agreement with Iran that is being formulated in the Geneva talks. True, the poll appears in a paper whose publisher, Sheldon Adelson, is a friend of the prime minister and its official editorial policy is unqualified support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, other polls present a similar tendency. Israel does not believe that Iran is really changing.
In addition, a poll by Kol Israel (Israel's state radio Channel 2) shows that 55% of the Israeli public distrusts the United States with regard to the nuclear talks. In other words, they feel that the US is being led astray, as if it were a paper tiger.
Polls do not always reflect public opinion, and one needs to pay close attention to the phrasing of the questions. But in this case, there is no doubt that the Israeli public, which has heard about the Iranian nuclear threat day and night from Netanyahu, closes ranks with him.
How has Israel come to doubt American credibility and capability, when the United States is Israel’s greatest friend? Why has Israel come to view the promises of US presidents (including President Barack Obama) regarding Israel’s security as promises without cover, promises that cannot be trusted? And how has Netanyahu’s obsessive mindset regarding Iran become almost a clear consensus in Israel?
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