A racist country with too much influence over US — Israel’s new image among Democrats

Rightwing pro-Israel pollster Frank Luntz sounds the alarm with a survey of elite US opinion saying that 3/4 of American Democratic elites regard Israel as having too much influence, and half of them say Israel is racist. Just what we’ve been saying: criticism of Israel is gaining traction in the Democratic base and is sure to play a role in next year’s election campaigns. Hillary Clinton is surely freaking over these numbers; what’s a presidential candidate to do, will this become a tsunami.

The numbers show what everyone in the lobby fears, that Israel is becoming a partisan issue. Republicans are standing by the Jewish state, and Luntz calls the poll a “disaster.” (I wonder how much his p-o-v has distorted these numbers; he and poll sponsor, the Jewish National Fund, want to wake up the Israel lobby about American attitudes, so they will pay for even better hasbara!).

From the Times of Israel; Luntz polled 802 “members of the opinion elite” whatever that means; and describes criticism of Israel as “blatant” and “deep”:

• Asked about Israeli influence on US foreign policy, an overwhelming 76% of Democrats, as compared to 20% of Republicans, said Israel has “too much influence.”

• Asked whether Israel is a racist country, 47% of Democrats agreed it is, as opposed to 13% of Republicans. Another 21% of Democrats didn’t know or were neutral (as opposed to 12% of Republicans), and only 32% of Democrats disagreed when asked if Israel is a racist country, as opposed to 76% of Republicans. (Overall 32% of those polled said Israel is a racist country.)

• Asked whether Israel wants peace with its neighbors, while an overwhelming 88% of Republicans said it does, a far lower 48% of Democrats agreed. Another 21% of Democrats didn’t know or were neutral (as compared to 7% of Republicans). And 31% of Democrats did not think Israel wants peace (as compared to 5% of Republicans).

• Asked whether they would be more likely to vote for a local politician who supported Israel and its right to defend itself, an overwhelming 76% of Republicans said yes, but only 18% of Democrats said yes. Meanwhile, only 7% of Republicans — but 32% of Democrats — said they would be less likely to support a local politician who backed Israel.

• Asked whether they would be more likely to vote for a local politician who criticized Israeli occupation and mistreatment of Palestinians, 45% of Democrats said yes, compared to just 6% of Republicans…

Exactly: Democratic primary candidates will make the illegal settlements an issue.

Years ago Jeremy Ben-Ami of J Street said that folks were running away from the Zionism brand. Luntz offers further evidence that Zionism is a dirty word:

Luntz said the word “Zionism” could play no part in messaging designed to repair relations with US Democrats. There has to be an “end to the [use of the] word Zionism,” he said. “You can’t make the case if you use that word. If you are at Berkeley or Brown and start outlining a Zionist vision, you don’t get to make a case for Israel because they’ve already switched off.”

He also predicted that Israel is in for “a lot more trouble” from the BDS (Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions) campaign

Luntz says that a third of Democrats question how much aid the country is receiving from the U.S. and 60 percent of opinion elites don’t know what BDS– boycotts, divestment and sanctions– is. But when they find out what it is, many will support it, he says.

Please support Mondoweiss today with a tax-deductible donation.

105 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

On the one hand I worry that they will be able to use money and hasbara to turn perceptions around. On the other hand I am comforted that they won’t because of their supreme arrogance that they can do anything to they want. Just read the Israeli press talking about the next Gaza war as if it were fait acompli and what they need to do next time to protect their image. today’s headline Israel needs to kill fewer journalists in the next Gaza war.

And yet the Gallup polls show record support. So what’s that about?

From my reading, part of that is the incredible rise of Republican support which has shouldered and in some cases even extended over democratic losses.

But even so, while Israel is losing the progressive base, the educated elites, they are not losing the country. Over the long haul, I do think educated elites matter a lot more on most issues, certainly on issues like foreign policy.

But still, 2016 isn’t the long haul and while Bernie Sanders may get flack for it in town halls, will people decide not to vote for him, especially when the alternative is worse(Clinton)? And not just on Israel/Palestine, either.

That’s not even counting the adage that people vote on domestic issues.

I think the Luntz poll show what we’ve been witnessing for years already: the progressive elites are never coming back to Zionism. Will it matter? The progressive elites were against the attacks on Latin America in the 1980s as well, did that help?

I’m ultimately optimistic about the outcome of this conflict, but I’d just caution any wild mood swings prior to 2016. Remember your post on the eve of the Israeli election, Phil? Re-read it for reference to this post.

American voters don’t decide elections on nuances of foreign policy like the settlements. I don’t see any candidate finding success (or attempting this tack). Foreign policy only engages voters if it’s a matter of avoiding war (e.g. if politicians scotch the Iran deal they could see consequences) or taxpayer money is being wasted.

There’s a clear opportunity to leverage Americans’ already strongly negative attitude toward foreign aid, one of the most unpopular government programs, with a progressive critique of the $4.5 billion Israel will soon be getting annually, and uses to massacre Palestinians. “Your tax dollars at work.” Someone, somewhere could upset an incumbent over this. It only needs to happen one time to strike terror into the heart of Israel.

@- Krauss

“That’s not even counting the adage that people vote on domestic issues.”

Flash! Zionism IS a domestic issue.

Has been since the days of Ben Gurion.

“members of the opinion elite” whatever that means

Here is an older definition from the Oct 2007 edition of San Diego magazine:

“opinion elite” — a term coined by Luntz. It refers to folks who are college
educated, make at least $65,000 annually, voted in the 2006 national elections
and watch at least an hour of news per day.

I would expect that Luntz has updated the definition.