A new poll by Ben-Gurion University shows that 81% of Israels support European Union membership for the Jewish state.

While Israel is not geographically part of Europe, many Israelis feel themselves to be culturally connected to the continent. Indeed, 8.5% of Israelis are already citizens of EU member nations, the Jerusalem Post reports.

Israeli membership would be similar to that of Cyprus, which is not itself physically part of Europe, but joined the EU in 2004.

On a visit to Jerusalem last year, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said his "greatest desire" was to see Israel join the EU as a member state.

The poll also shows that 64% of Israelis would support a deployment of NATO peacekeeping forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and that German Chancellor Angela Merkel is their favorite European leader, with a 55% favorability rating among Israelis.