Major Israelis see deterioration in relations with U.S.: poll

A vast majority of the Israelis see a deterioration in the ties between their country and the United States under the leadership of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a poll published on Wednesday.

A substantial majority of the respondents said the U.S.-Israeli relations have gone downhill over the past five years, the Israeli Ha'aretz newspaper quoted the poll as saying, noting that almost 35 percent of the respondents saw the relationship has deteriorated to a "very great" or "great" extent.

About 45 percent said the relations have deteriorated to "some extent" or a "small extent," while only some 20 percent saw the relations have not deteriorated at all.

The poll was conducted last November by the Ruderman Family Foundation, a Boston-based organization which advanced ties between Israel and the U.S. Jewry, and was scheduled to release just before the latest flare-up between the two allies over Netanyahu's scheduled speech to U.S. Congress.

The Israeli leader was invited by Speaker of the United States House of Representatives John Boehner to address a joint session of U.S. Congress in early March, following a bill to impose further sanctions on Iran in order to counteract U.S. President Barack Obama's efforts to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran.

Obama said he will not meet with Netanyahu, citing a policy of not meeting foreign leaders shortly before elections in their countries, as Israel will hold general elections on March 17. While, U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden said he will not attend Netanyahu's speech.

On Monday, another poll released by Israel's Army Radio said almost half of the Israelis believe Netanyahu should call off his address to the U.S. Congress. Endit