A new poll has found that public opinion in the major European countries is prepared to view the conflict between extremists and moderates as the cause of tension and wars in the Middle East, instead of seeing Israel's policy as the cause of problems in the region.

The Washington-based organization The Israel Project conducted the survey this month among the elites and general public in Germany, Britain and France.

According to the survey, the tendency to view Islamic extremists as responsible for instability in the region is especially high in Germany. The elites in France and Britain tend to divide the responsibility between Israeli policy and Islamic extremism, while the general public in France is more open to blaming radical Islam for the problems in the Middle East.

The American pollster Stanley Greenberg, who oversaw the survey, presented his findings last week at the Prime Minster's Bureau, Foreign Ministry and several ministers' bureaus in Jerusalem.

The survey was designed to gauge the positions of the general public and elites in the United States and Europe in the wake of the war in Lebanon and the violent conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Greenberg found that U.S. public support for Israel increased following the pullout from Gaza last year and the war in Lebanon, and Americans are willing to stand by Israel, unlike the Europeans. The tilt toward Israel occurred after the disengagement because of a growing sense that Israel is more willing than the Palestinians and their leaders to make concessions for peace. The rise of Hamas and the attacks on Israel by Hezbollah further weakened American support for the Palestinians. The war in Lebanon was seen as justified, even if opinion is divided on whether Israel overreacted in its operations. In addition, Americans are much more aware today of the connection between Hamas and Hezbollah and the terror-sponsoring states Iran and Syria.

Europeans depicted Israel as an extremist country, akin to the U.S. under President George W. Bush. However, the image of the Palestinians, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran suffered in Europe because of the conflict in Lebanon, and awareness increased among the elites regarding the role of Iran and Syria.

According to Greenberg, the elites in Britain present the toughest problem for Israel, and are not open to messages about threats posed by Iran. By contrast, in Germany there is a special affinity for Israel, and hostility toward terrorist organizations.

Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog, who played a key role in explaining Israel's position during the war, said in response to the poll that he recognizes more awareness in the world regarding the affiliation between Hezbollah and the Iranian threat. Herzog said Israel needs to highlight in Europe other subjects such as science, sports and culture, so as to present "news of another kind." With the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and the deployment of European forces to Lebanon, "a window has opened to show the Europeans what is going on in the region," Herzog said.