In Israeli-Palestinian conflict Russians support none of the parties or both at the same time, whereas the bloggers tend to have a favorable opinion of Israel.
MOSCOW, December 10, 2012. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of the poll measuring the attitudes of Russians towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and representing the position of Russia and the U.S. in this conflict. The results of the social media monitoring conducted by the Social Networks Agency are also provided.
Results of the nationwide poll
Most of Russians know about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (86%). As ten years ago, most of respondents support neither of the parties: 25% sympathize with both peoples, 31% – sympathize with neither. However, the share of those who support both is decreasing (in 2001– 33%), the share of those who support neither is increasing, on the contrary (from 28%). The rest of respondents is strongest supporters of the Palestinians (14%, in 2001 – 10%), rather than the Israelis (10%). Those who feel sympathies towards the Palestinian party are CPRF supporters (26%), Muscovites and St. Petersburgians and residents of big cities (23%, for each); those who sympathize with the Israelis are adherents of non-parliament parties (19%) and Russians residing in the million cities (14%). Those who support for both are electorate of A Just Russia party (28%), CPRF (27%) and United Russia party (28%), as well as metropolitan residents (31%); none of the parties is supported by absentees (40%) and residents of small cities (36%).
A relative majority of respondents believe that the Middle East conflict is simultaneously Israeli aggression and an Israeli attempt to protect itself against Palestinian terrorists (39% vs. 26% in 2002). The share of those who regard Israel as the aggressor makes up 16%, and as the victim – 17%. The share of those who regard Israel as the victim has decreased over the recent ten years (in 2002 – 22%). CPRF supporters (31%) and retired persons (20%) tend to call Israel the aggressor; those who believe that Israel is the victim in the conflict are adherents of A Just Russia and non-parliament parties (23%, for each), as well as 35-44-year-old Russians (21%).
Today most of Russians believe that the United States is stirring up hostility supporting one of the parties (55%, in 2002– 42%). Those who think so are mainly CPRF supporters (66%). Rarer respondents point out that the U.S. is eager to reconcile the parties (10 vs. 25% ten years ago). There are also those who think that the U.S. is keeping out of the conflict (8%).
As to Russia`s role in the Middle East conflict, Russia is making every effort to reconcile the parties, according to Russians (48%). This stance is shared by supporters of A Just Russia party (57%) and CPRF (58%).
One-quarter of respondents believe that Russia keeps out of the conflict (23%, in 2002– 31%) – this point of view is supported by non-parliament parties` adherents (37%). And only 7% report that Russia supports for one of the parties.
Social Media Monitoring
The social media monitoring conducted by the Social Networks Agency revealed that, unlike the public in general, the bloggers are determined which party to support in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: half of all the comments (49%) express sympathies for the Israeli party. Every third is in favor of the Palestinians (3,7%). The shares of those who support for both or for neither are considerably lower (11% and 7,3%, respectively).
At the same time, social media users, as Russians in general, tend to assess the Israeli position either as aggressive (19,6% of publications), or as defensive (16,8% of publications).
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on December 1-2, 2012. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
Social media monitoring on the Palestine-Israel conflict was conducted by the Social Networks Agency on December 1-5, 2012. Open Search engines (Blogs.Yandex.ru, Blogsearch.google.ru) and a special search tool were used during the monitoring. A total of 796 publications have been studied.
Results of nationwide poll
Which of the parties do you support more in the Israel-Palestine conflict? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||
| 2001* | 2002 | 2012 |
Palestinians | 10 | 13 | 14 |
Israelis | 9 | 9 | 10 |
Both equally | 33 | 30 | 25 |
Neither | 28 | 30 | 31 |
I know nothing about the conflict | 8 | 8 | 14 |
Hard to tell | 11 | 10 | 7 |
*In 2001 the sample size was 1000 persons
Some say that Israel is aggressive against Palestine; others say that this is the way Israel protects itself against Palestinian terrorists. Which of the statements is closer to yours? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2002 | 2012 |
Israel wages aggression against Palestinians | 18 | 16 |
Israel protects itself against Palestinian terrorists | 22 | 17 |
Both statements are correct | 26 | 39 |
Hard to tell | 36 | 28 |
In your opinion, what role does the United States play in the Israel-Palestine conflict? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2002 | 2012 |
Trying to reconcile the hostile parties | 25 | 10 |
Supporting one of the parties stirring up hostility | 42 | 55 |
Trying to keep out of the conflict | 11 | 8 |
Hard to tell | 23 | 27 |
In your opinion, what role does Russia play in the Israel-Palestine conflict? | ||
| 2002 | 2012 |
Trying to reconcile the hostile parties | 48 | 48 |
Supporting one of the parties stirring up hostility | 4 | 7 |
Trying to keep out of the conflict | 31 | 23 |
Hard to tell | 17 | 23 |
Results of social media monitoring
Which of the parties do the bloggers support in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict? | |
| % of publications |
Israelis | 49 |
Palestinians | 32.7 |
Blaming both | 11 |
Supporting for both | 7.3 |
Subjects of discussions | |
| % of publications |
Israel carries out aggressive policy against the Palestinians and neighboring countries | 19,6 |
Israel has to protect itself; Israel did not start the conflict | 16,8 |
Analyzing the sources of the conflict | 12,1 |
Hamas provokes the conflict | 10,6 |
Palestinian extremists use their own population as human shield | 6,5 |
Position of UN and world community | 4,5 |
Palestine is the source of the conflict | 5,8 |
Russia is blind to Palestinian extremism | 4 |
U.S. is the third party in the conflict | 4 |
The conflict is religions war | 3,8 |
Palestine is parasitic benefiting from foreign aid | 2,2 |
Russia should not involve in the conflict | 2,0 |
Iranian factor | 1,8 |
The conflict proves the expansion of the Muslims and the Arabs | 1,8 |
Other subjects | 4,5 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!