May 15, 2012
As Egyptians prepare to vote for their first post-Mubarak president next week, the frontrunners' antipathy toward Israel aligns with the findings of a new poll, in which 61 percent of Egyptian respondents favor abandoning the Egypt-Israel peace treaty, up from 54 percent a year ago, CNSNews.com reports. The survey, by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, also found a small decline among Egyptians in favorable views of the United States -- now just 19 percent -- while 61 percent said the billions of dollars given by the U.S. in military and economic aid has a "mostly negative" impact. Additionally, 61 percent of respondents chose Saudi Arabia as the preferred model for the role of religion in government, 60 percent said Egypt's laws should strictly adhere to the Quran, and 70 percent viewed the Muslim Brotherhood favorably (down from 75 percent in 2011). Egyptians go to the polls May 23-24; if no candidate secures an absolute majority a run-off election will be held in June.
