According to the poll, co-sponsored by the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, an overwhelming majority also said they believed close relations with the United States were essential for ensuring Israel's security.

The survey, administered by the Maagar Mochot research institute, involved 610 respondents, constituting a representative sample of Israeli Jews over the age of 18.

When asked about military action against Iran, 66 percent said they approved of it, 15 percent said they were opposed and 19 percent said they did not know. Of those who said they approved military action, 15 percent said they would change their minds if the United States opposed it, while 75 percent said they would not. The rest said they did not know or gave other answers.

Focusing on Israeli-U.S. relations in the Obama era, the survey revealed concern over possible erosion of U.S. support for Israel, and over a rapprochement between the United States and Arab countries at the expense of Israel.

Sixty percent of the respondents said they had a "positive" or "very positive' attitude toward President Obama. On the other hand, only 38 percent said they thought his attitude to Israel was friendly - in contrast to 73 percent of respondents in a 2007 poll, who defined the attitude President George W. Bush as friendly.

When asked if reconciliation with the Arab and Muslim world would come at the expense of Israel's interests, 63 percent said they believed it would; however, 71 percent, said the interests of the United States and Israel were "similar" or "complemented each other."

Most Israelis, according to the poll, follow the news in America, mainly through the Israeli media.

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