Weekly Commentary: Israeli poll exposes disconnect between media and
reality

Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 8 April 2014

There is a particularly fascinating set of results in the Peace Index Poll
released this week by the Evens Program for Mediation and Conflict
Resolution at Tel Aviv University and the Israel Democracy Institute.

When 600 adult Israeli Jews were asked on 28-29 April how much they think
people care about the country, a majority, 65.9%, replied that "people used
to care more about the country".

But when these same Israelis were asked about their own feelings about
Israel, only 26.8% said that they themselves once cared more about the
country.

In point of fact, 37.8% replied that they care MORE today and another 33.9%
care the same as they used to - that's a total of 71.7% caring the same or
more.

Simply put: there is a tremendous disconnect between perceived reality and
reality on this matter.

Israelis are convinced that their countrymen don't share their passion for
the country.

And they are wrong.

Who is responsible for this most serious misperception?

Well, when you ask someone what they think everyone else is thinking they
don't reply based on their own polling. They answer based on what
information sources tell them.

These two diametrically opposed results serve to raise serious questions
about the distortion of reality on the part of the media.

By the way, the Peace Index has another result that challenges the theme
that Israelis may be seeking greener pastures:

If you were given the opportunity, would you keep living in Israel or would
you move to a different country?
1. I would keep living in Israel 80.2%
2. I would move to a different country 17.4%
3. Don’t know/Refuse reply 2.4%

Happy 66th Israel!

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il