Support for Israel Higher in Africa Than it is in Europe

African Countries Support Israel More Than They Do the Palestinians - Amnon Rubinstein (Jerusalem Post)

• What country in the world boasts the highest rate of support for Israel? The Ivory Coast, where 61% support Israel and only 16% support the Palestinians.
• This surprising finding is part of a global opinion survey conducted this year by the PEW Research Center in 47 countries. In Ethiopia, which is half Muslim, the rate is 37%, as opposed to 25% who support the Palestinians. Similar rates can be found in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Even the Muslim country of Mali has a perceptible support rate for Israel - 13% - higher than in Spain and Italy.
• None of the African countries polled, with the exception of Mali, demonstrated opposition to Israel of the kind we find in Britain, where 29% support the Palestinians, as opposed to only 16% percent who support Israel.
• The exception to this rule is Egypt, in which the opposition to Israel is all-embracing and support for Hamas especially high.
• Support for Israel in African countries is exceptionally striking in view of the fact that the global anti-Israel campaign consistently presents Israel as an "apartheid," colonialist and racist country.

  The writer, former president of the Interdisciplinary Center-Herzliya, has been minister of education.

Comments

[The Hermit]

Israel put a lot of resources into Africa during the 60's and 70's. I remember reading Ariel Sharon's book and there was a chapter about his work in Africa. But the Africans tend to turn against Israel when the chips are down, as in 1973. They are, as the saying goes "the best friends money can buy."

[Gail]

Interesting. Thanks for providing that perspective.