Israelis are divided over whether US involvement in the Middle East peace process has had a positive or negative impact, according to a study released on Wednesday.
About a third of respondents who took part in a poll commissioned by B\’nai Brith World Center on Contemporary Israeli Attitudes Toward Diaspora Jewry said Washington has impeded progress, a third said it has facilitated it and another third said they did not know.
The Internet survey was conducted by KEEVOON Research on June 20 with 507 Israeli Jews age 18 or older. The a margin of error is about 4.5 percent.
Israelis strongly supported government investment in the Diaspora, which would in effect reverse the traditional flow of Jewish funds to Israel from the Diaspora. About 80 percent said they would condone expenditure on programs like Masa and Taglit-Birthright, which bring young adults to Israel on short visits and sojourns.
On the question of whether Israeli tax-payers money should be spent on helping Diaspora Jews needs overseas during a time of recession, a scenario which has become a reality in places like Greece and Spain, a slight 46 percent majority was in favor of such a move, while 43% was opposed. The majority of respondents added that the long-term solution to problems of Jewish communities overseas was immigrating to Israel.