Survey: US Jews overwhelmingly support key Israeli positions

An annual survey commissioned by the American Jewish Committee found that American Jews overwhelmingly support key Israeli policy positions, even though about 30% of the respondents characterized themselves as "distant" or "fairly distant" in their identification with Israel. 94% of the respondents insisted that Palestinians must recognize Israel as a Jewish state in any peace agreement. 75% believe that the ultimate Arab goal is destruction of Israel.  79% believe Israel cannot achieve peace with a Palestinian government that includes the Hamas. A plurality of 49% nonetheless support creation of a Palestinian state. Only 8% support Israel dismantling all of the West Bank settlements, but 52% support dismantling some of the settlements. 51% are opposed to President Obama's call for a complete Israeli settlement freeze.  54% approve of the Obama administration's handling of US-Israel relations. 59% approve of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of Israeli-American relations.  58% oppose Israeli compromise regarding the unity of Jerusalem in any peace settlement. 51% do not believe a time will come when Israel and its Arab neighbors will be able to settle their differences peacefully. 53% of the respondents identified themselves as Democrats, only 16% identified as Republicans, with 30% labeling themselves "independent."

 

Regarding Iran, 66% of American Jewish respondents would support an Israeli attack on Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons and 56% would support an American attack on Iran. By way of comparison, a Zogby poll in October of 2007 found that 49% of Americans supported a US attack on Iran at the time. No more recent data are available for comparison.

 

The dovish J Street lobby group has contended that its insistence on an Israeli settlement freeze is representative of the views of a majority of American Jews. The survey does not bear out this contention.

 

Ami Isseroff