Arab/Muslim Public Opinion Polls:
Five Years After the Cairo Speech: How Arabs View President Obama and America

June 2014

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In June of 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a speech at Cairo University to mark a "new begining" in U.S. relations with the Muslim world.  Which of the following best describes your reaction after the speech was delivered?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Hopeful	31%	55%	47%	55%	62%	35%	56%
Not Hopeful	38%	26%	26%	25%	32%	27%	28%
Do not Recall	25%	12%	24%	14%	6%	27%	12%

The Obama administration has faced many challenges in dealing with the Arab world. In your opinion, which two of the following challenges are most important for U.S.-Arab relations?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Ending US presence in Iraq	25%	12%	30%	14%	41%	19%	21%
Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict	47%	76%	53%	71%	49%	45%	28%
Improving relations with the Arab/Muslim world	23%	10%	38%	17%	40%	27%	27%
Ending the conflict in Syria	26%	68%	31%	63%	21%	43%	34%
Humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees	13%	8%	16%	8%	21%	21%	32%
Dealing with the transformation brought on by the "Arab Spring"	20%	12%	18%	12%	22%	21%	28%
Working on ending Iran's nuclear program	15%	13%	14%	12%	4%	23%	28%

The Obama administration has faced many challenges in dealing with the Arab world. In your opinion, which two of the following challenges has the Obama administration been most effective in addressing?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Ending US presence in Iraq	27%	82%	59%	80%	28%	54%	30%
Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict	15%	2%	5%	3%	30%	11%	20%
Improving relations with the Arab/Muslim world	20%	8%	23%	10%	39%	15%	20%
Ending the conflict in Syria	15%	3%	18%	5%	3%	21%	31%
Humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees	17%	1%	21%	4%	38%	19%	29%
Dealing with the transformation brought on by the "Arab Spring"	26%	19%	31%	23%	38%	24%	27%
Working on ending Iran's nuclear program	17%	68%	38%	61%	7%	44%	34%
Not sure	23%	-	-	-	-	-	-

The Obama administration has faced many challenges in dealing with the Arab world. In your opinion, which two of the following challenges has the Obama administration been least effective in addressing?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Ending US presence in Iraq	14%	5%	3%	3%	13%	6%	23%
Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict	51%	24%	53%	29%	25%	28%	34%
Improving relations with the Arab/Muslim world	15%	64%	26%	59%	21%	40%	33%
Ending the conflict in Syria	29%	29%	41%	30%	39%	28%	27%
Humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees	23%	12%	29%	16%	28%	22%	18%
Dealing with the transformation brought on by the "Arab Spring"	13%	56%	22%	49%	30%	29%	31%
Working on ending Iran's nuclear program	16%	3%	21%	6%	7%	19%	13%
Not sure	13%	1%	-	1%	2%	2%	2%

How important is it that your country have good relations with the United States?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Important	64%	80%	83%	79%	61%	80%	60%
Not important	28%	20%	15%	20%	39%	19%	39%

How effective has the Obama administration been in maintaining good relations with your country?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Effective	9%	19%	26%	22%	10%	37%	25%
Trying, but not yet effective	51%	35%	41%	35%	46%	51%	44%
Not effective at all	34%	35%	31%	34%	44%	12%	28%

In your opinion, which of the following U.S. Presidents has had the most positive relationship with your country?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
George H.W. Bush	3%	15%	12%	21%	31%	25%	20%
Clinton	48%	43%	61%	48%	60%	47%	35%
George W. Bush	5%	1%	-%	2%	-%	2%	16%
Obama	11%	28%	22%	19%	7%	19%	26%
Not sure	34%	13%	5%	11%	3%	8%	3%

In your opinion, which of the following U.S. Presidents has had the most negative relationship with your country?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
George H.W. Bush	19%	6%	7%	5%	13%	10%	23%
Clinton	12%	1%	4%	1%	3%	5%	22%
George W. Bush	32%	86%	59%	81%	61%	57%	26%
Obama	20%	7%	25%	11%	18%	22%	25%
Not sure	17%	<1%	5%	2%	5%	7%	4%

Would the economic and political future of your country be better served by looking East to China and India, looking West to the U.S. and the E.U., or through building ties through both East and West?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Looking East	16%	20%	9%	18%	34%	19%	26%
Looking West	23%	20%	8%	19%	27%	22%	33%
Building ties with both	41%	43%	81%	47%	39%	51%	40%

Are you supportive or opposed to the effort to achieve a managed solution limiting Iran's nuclear program?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Supportive	50%	50%	81%	57%	14%	59%	71%
Oppose	31%	40%	16%	31%	86%	36%	28%

How confident are you that these negotiations between the United States and Iran will succeed in limiting Iran's nuclear program?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Confident	39%	7%	72%	22%	11%	38%	50%
Not Confident	44%	88%	25%	71%	87%	58%	47%

The United States is currently leading efforts to negotiate a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. How confident are you that the United States has been even-handed during these negotiations?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Confident	30%	8%	5%	8%	16%	16%	31%
Not Confident	57%	88%	82%	88%	84%	80%	66%

From the list below, what would you say is the greatest obstacle to peace and stability in the Middle East?
(The Arab American Institute, June 2014)

	Palestine	Morocco	Egypt	Jordan	Lebanon	KSA	UAE Arabs
Occupation of Palestinian lands	45%	55%	46%	52%	26%	49%	17%
U.S. interference in the Arab world	24%	29%	22%	26%	25%	24%	22%
Lack of democracy in Arab countries	9%	6%	13%	8%	18%	9%	15%
Economic innequality	15%	2%	8%	3%	14%	5%	13%
Iranian interference in Arab affairs	1%	2%	1%	2%	6%	3%	16%
Growing religious sectarianism	4%	6%	11%	8%	12%	8%	16%

 

Sources: The Arab American Institute.