A poll sponsored by the right-wing Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post reports that only 6% of the Israeli public consider American President Barack Obama to be pro-Israel.

In contrast, 50% consider the president to be pro-Palestinian. Quite a reversal in public perception of a U.S. president.

President Obama has opened a rare public rift between the United States and Israel’s hard-right government led by Likud’s Benyamin Netanyahu. Breaking rank with previous administration that only voiced light criticism of Israel’s illegal colonization of the West Bank, President Obama has pressured the Netanyahu government to end all illegal settlement construction - including that under the ostensible pretext of “natural growth” - as a jumping off point toward a reinvigorate peace process.

Netanyahu has stubbornly refused to agree to a freeze arguing that it would be unfair to Israeli couples if they could not live next to their parents [10% of Israeli Jews live in illegal settlements] on occupied Palestinian land so the Palestinians need to continue to lose their land in order to accommodate the living preferences of Israelis [preferences that no other people in the world are entitled to].

To Obama’s great credit, he has refused to back down on the settlement freeze. There is too much at stake for Obama now. He is a new and young president and his credibility is on the line, if he backs down he will have shown the world that an arrogant Israeli premier was able to defeat Obama.

Obama’s public dispute with Netanyahu has convinced many Israelis that Obama is not pro-Israel. This is not surprising, because most Israelis deem being “pro-Israeli” to be supportive of the far-rights agenda.

For instance, 69% of the Israeli public oppose a freeze to illegal settlements [27% support]. 53% of Israelis believe that Obama’s policies are not good for Israel and 51% believe Obama cares more for Palestinian statehood than for Israeli security.

Obama has long been viewed with suspicion in Israel. Many speculate that he is a secret Muslim. And many now about his pro-Palestinian friendships. Their suspicions have been confirmed by many.