Michael W. Suleiman

Trends in Public Support for Egypt and Israel, 1956-1978

This essay examines public support for Israel and Egypt between 1956 and 1978. Changes in support for the two Middle Eastern adversaries are examined in relation to changes in U.S. Middle Eastern policy. The results suggest that changes in public images of the two nations tend to follow changes in official policy. As American policy has shifted toward a more neutral stance, public evaluations of the two nations have converged and by 1977, Israel was favored over Egypt by a narrow margin. Variations in public evaluations of the two nations are also investigated. Besides Jewish Americans, the more educated and more affluent tend to rate Israel more favorably. Among nonwhites, the poor, and less- educated, Egypt and Israel tend to be rated evenly. In conclusion, it is noted that if cur rent U.S. Middle Eastern policy is maintained, public images of Egypt are likely to im prove gradually.