Poll: IDF Ranks Highest in Public Trust

Israelis have much more confidence in the nation’s soldiers than its politicians, judges, police or media, according to a survey published on Sunday.

The IDF received by far the highest level of support among public institutions — 82 percent, in the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) findings, based on interviews conducted last year.

Sixty percent said they trust the State Comptroller; the justice system was next with 58 percent; just over half the people said they trust the police—53 percent.

Significantly less than half the respondents, only 38 percent, expressed confidence in the Knesset, 40 percent in the government.

But the media, which provides most of the information about the country’s public officials, itself had only a 39 percent trust rating.

The CBS also examined differences in trust among various population groups. Jewish Israelis expressed more trust of public officials than Arab Israelis. For example, while 93 percent of Jews had trust in the IDF, a mere 32 of Arabs shared the feeling. The Knesset also did better with Jews than Arabs, 40 percent to 25, for Jews and Arabs respectively.

Among chareidim, 72 percent said they had trust in the IDF, compared to 94 percent among secular Israelis. The judiciary does not have a good standing with chareidim, as only 22 percent said they have trust in it, whereas 70 percent of secularists say they trust the judicial system, according to the poll.

As for the CBS itself, which conducted survey, over half of the public expressed trust in it, with greater levels of trust among college graduates (62 percent) compared to those who aren’t (51 percent).