Poll: 53% of Israelis believe PM best for security

Yacimovich has highest approval in economic issues, 60% support two-state solution, according to poll.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Netanyahu meeting commanders Egypt fence 370 (photo credit: GPO)
Netanyahu meeting commanders Egypt fence 370
(photo credit: GPO)
Over half of Israelis find Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to be the most suitable candidate to handle security issues, the Israel Democracy Institute Peace Index poll found on Tuesday.
Fifty-three percent of Israeli Jews chose Netanyahu as most equipped to handle security matters, followed by Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman (28%), Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett (25%), former IDF chief of staff and Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz (22%), The Tzipi Livni Party leader Tzipi Livni (19%), Labor leader Shelly Yacimovich (14%) and Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid, who scored the lowest with 8%.
As for who would best handle economic matters, Yacimovich received the most votes, from 45% of the respondents. Netanyahu came in second place with 36%, then Lapid with 25%, Bennett with 20%, and Livni with 19%. Liberman and Mofaz received the least votes, with 17% and 12%, respectively.
In addition, 55% of Jewish Israelis consider themselves right-wing, while 21% say they’re centrist and 17% left-wing.
Half of the respondents said they would vote for secular or religious right-wing parties, 30% for the Center and Left, and 20% were undecided.
Two-thirds (67%) of Jewish Israelis think the peace process with Palestinians will remain at a standstill regardless of which parties win in the election, and half believe Israel should continue with its current policy, even if it will bring a confrontation with the US.
However, 60% of Jewish Israelis support a peace agreement with Palestinians based on a two-state solution, including 100% of Meretz voters, 88% of The Tzipi Livni Party voters, 83% of Yesh Atid voters, 80% of Labor and Kadima voters, 52% of Likud voters, 32% of Bayit Yehudi voters, 13% of Shas voters and 10% of United Torah Judaism voters.
Over half of Jewish Israelis (58%) believe Arab neighborhoods in east Jerusalem should not be part of a Palestinian state, and 51% are against dismantling any settlements in Judea and Samaria.
The IDI polled 601 respondents representing the adult Jewish population of Israel, with a margin of error of 4.5%.