NEW YORK. April 12: While people living in Arab and non -Arab nations are fans of American-made products, American education, even its movies and television programs they loathe U.S. policies toward Arab nations, toward the Palestinians, and America’s ‘war against terrorism’, says a poll released on Thursday.

The Zogby poll, entitled “Impressions of America,” looked at how people in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait, the United Emirates, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, France and Venezuela perceived America’s people, culture and its foreign policies, particularly toward the Palestinians.

“At a time when the United States is building a broad coalition against terrorism, this poll shows that U.S. policy in the Middle East provides a significant stumbling block,” said pollster John Zogby.

The gap has widened between many Arab nations and the United States in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks on America and Washington’s war against terrorism.

The latest flare-up in the Middle East, which the Bush administration has largely blamed on the Palestinians, has widened this gulf between the Arab world and the United States.

As the gap in understanding between the United States and much of the Arab world has become painfully evident in the aftermath of September 11th, the “Impressions of America” poll was designed to learn more about those attitudes towards Americans, not just American policy. The poll also was designed to determine whether those in other nations differentiate between their feelings toward American people and culture, on one side, and American policy in the Middle East region, on the other.

The poll was conducted in March and early April with face-to-face interviews in five Arab nations - Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Face-to-face interviews also were conducted in three non-Arab, Muslim nations - Pakistan, Iran and Indonesia. Finally, to establish a proper context for the final results, face-to-face interviews also were conducted in France and Venezuela.

Results show American-made products have a huge number of fans in the nations polled — majorities everywhere, including Venezuela (89% favorable, 8% unfavorable), Iran (84% favorable, 16% unfavorable), Pakistan (75% favorable, 18% unfavorable), Lebanon (72% favorable, 25% unfavorable) and Indonesia (71% favorable, 15% unfavorable).

However, there are substantial minorities who are less than enthusiastic about American-made products, including those in Egypt (50% favorable, 45% unfavorable), Saudi Arabia (53% favorable, 44% unfavorable), Kuwait (57% favorable, 39% unfavorable) and France (51% favorable, 42% unfavorable).

Those polled in every country except Iran said they would react more favorably toward the United States if it were to “apply pressure to ensure the creation of an independent Palestinian State.”