Half of the Israeli Jewish public concurs that Israel should follow current government policy even at the price of a confrontation with the U.S. administration, a new poll published Tuesday revealed.

With elections just two weeks away, the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University released the December 2012 Peace Index poll, measuring Israeli public opinion on some of the most critical issues facing voters this election season.

According to the poll, Israeli Jews continue to define themselves as right-wing (55 percent) more than centrist (21%) or left-wing (17%). In addition, 50% report their intention to vote for the secular and religious right-wing parties and 30% for parties of the Center and Left, while 20% remain undecided or would not answer.

The public was also polled on their attitudes toward some of the politicians leading parties in the Knesset elections. With regard to their ability to handle political-security issues, Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) was judged suitable by 53% of Israeli Jews, Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beytenu) by 28%, Naftali Bennett (Habayit Hayehudi) by 25%, Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) by 22%, Tzipi Livni (Hatnuah) by 19%, Shelly Yachimovich (Labor) by 14%, and Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) by 8%.

When asked about their ability to handle socioeconomic issues, Shelly Yachimovich was deemed suitable by 45% of Israeli Jews, Benjamin Netanyahu by 36%, Yair Lapid by 25%, Naftali Bennett by 20%, Tzipi Livni by 19%, Avigdor Lieberman by 17%, and Shaul Mofaz by 12%.

Two-thirds (67%) of Jewish Israelis agree that, no matter which parties prevail, the peace process with the Palestinians will remain at a standstill for reasons not connected to Israel.

A majority (60%) of Israeli Jews support a peace agreement with the Palestinians based on the principle of two states for two peoples. This includes 100% of declared Meretz voters, 88% of Hatnuah voters, 83% of Yesh Atid voters, 80% of Labor and Kadima voters, 52% of Likud voters, 32% of Habayit Hayehudi voters, 13% of Shas voters, and 10% of United Torah Judaism voters.

While 58% of Jewish Israelis support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state given appropriate security arrangements, 58% believe that the Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem should not be transferred to the Palestinian state and 51% believe that under no circumstances should settlements in Judea and Samaria be dismantled.

This survey, conducted from Dec. 31, 2012 to Jan. 2, 2013, included 601 respondents who constitute a representative sample of the adult population of Israel. The margin of error for a sample of this size is 4.5%.