Israeli End of the Year Poll: Putin takes top spot, Obama captures a mere 2% for 2015

 

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin is Israelis’ person of the year, according to a Panels Research poll taken for The Jerusalem Post and its Hebrew sister publication Ma’ariv Sof Hashavua.

Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a speech during the Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square. – Photo: REUTERS

The poll of 527 respondents representing a statistical sample of the Jewish adult population, was taken Tuesday and has an error margin of ±4.3 percent.

Twenty-nine percent of respondents chose Putin as their person of the year, 16% picked German Chancellor Angela Merkel, 15% Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 3% Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, 2% Pope Francis, 2% US President Barack Obama and 33% said they did not know.

When asked what the country’s biggest problem was, 45% said the wave of terrorism, 33% said the cost of living and socioeconomic gaps, 8% said the diplomatic stalemate, 4% said Right-Left relations, 4% said international isolation, 2% said religious-secular relations and 4% said they did not know.

Asked if a diplomatic agreement could currently be reached with the Palestinians, 68% said no, 22% said yes and 10% did not know. Among respondents defining themselves as Center-Left, 43% said no, 41% said yes and 16% did not know.

Two-thirds of respondents said their feeling of security went down in the past year, nearly one-third said it stayed the same and just 2% said it rose. When asked what was currently the biggest danger to Israeli security, 47% said the Palestinians, 24% said Islamic State and radical Islam, 13% said Iran, 7% said Jewish terrorism, 6% Hezbollah and 3% said they did not know.

Two-thirds of respondents said they believed the terrorist wave could be stopped, 28% said it could not and 7% said they did not know.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Greeting for Novy God.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Greeting for “Novy God” (English captions available):”I send you warm greetings as you celebrate the civil New Year. I wish you, your children and grandchildren good health, success and happiness.You brought something from your countries of origin that is very valuable – your desire for achievement and excellence in all areas: science, the economy, sports, in everything. You have proved time and again that you can serve in the highest positions, overcoming any difficulties. You have contributed in the past and still contribute immensely to our society and country on a daily basis – keep up the good work! The State of Israel needs you – in science, medicine, commerce, the military, politics, education and culture. Excellence is something we hold dear and you embody that.On our part – mine and the government members, which also naturally includes immigrants from the former Russian Commonwealth – we will do all it takes to ensure that every child will have an equal opportunity through quality education and access to technology. I speak of every boy and of every girl.We will continue working to reduce the distance between the Negev and the Galilee, to connect them to the center of the country through the construction of new roads, interchanges and railways. As a result of the relocation of the IDF bases to the south and the transformation of the Negev into a cyber center, there are already thousands of new job openings in the south and our work is not yet done. In addition, we will work day and night to ensure safety in the State of Israel and defend it from the many threats it faces. I wish you a joyous evening with your loved ones around the traditional table, where there is always a place for the older generation. Observe this beautiful tradition – you brought it here in honor of your parents and you pass it down to your children.Happy holidays and may you have a good and successful 2016.”

Posted by The Prime Minister of Israel on Thursday, December 31, 2015

PM Netanyahu’s New Year Blessings to Israel’s Christians. Click on ‘gear wheel’, check ‘captions’ to get English subtitles.

Nearly 80% said they did not believe Iran would keep its commitments in the Iranian nuclear deal, 15% said they did not know and only 6% said they thought Iran would keep the deal.

When asked what they thought was the most important item on the international agenda in 2016, 50% said the struggle to stop Islamic State, 25% said the Syrian refugee crisis, 10% the US presidential election, 6% the war in Syria and Iraq, 5% the Iranian nuclear program and 4% said they did not know.

Asked if there would be elections in 2016: 5% said they were sure there would be, 27% said apparently yes, 46% said apparently no, 9% said they were sure there would not be elections and 13% said they did not know.

 

View original The Jerusalem Post publication at:
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/The-Israelis-have-spoken-Putin-is-their-person-of-the-year-for-2015-439074