Israel keeps positive image among Americans: Gallup

A Gallup poll released Wednesday showed that 71 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Israel and 27 percent hold an unfavorable view.

The poll came as U.S. President Donald Trump sought to strengthen the bond between the two traditional allies after eight years of colder-than-usual relations under the former administration led by Barack Obama.

To work on that, Trump held his first meeting as U.S. president with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday.

This year's survey was conducted from Feb. 1 to Feb. 5. and found 29 percent of the interviewees view Israel very favorably, 42 percent mostly favorably, 21 percent mostly unfavorably and 6 percent very unfavorably.

Data also showed that 8 percent have no opinion of the Middle East state.

Israel enjoys a positive image among all major U.S. demographic and political groups, particularly the Republicans and adults aged 65 and older, Gallup found.

From 2005 to 2012, Israel's favorable score in the United States varied between 63 percent and 71 percent, mostly below 70 percent. Before that, it had been more volatile, as it once surged to 79 percent during the 1991 Gulf War, but registered below 60 percent in 1989, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2002 and 2004, Gallup said.

For his part, Netanyahu receives more positive views than negative ones from the Americans, with 49 percent U.S. adults voting favorably, Gallup added.

Gallup asked the Americans to give their impression of Israel and other numerous countries each year, as part of its annual February World Affairs survey. Endi