This poll of Americans by The Israel Project was embargoed till 3:30 PM Jerusalem time today, which of course sets my dual-loyalty hairs on end. But having looked over the poll, the actual questions, it’s hard to quarrel with the methodology, and it shows that by 57 percent to 6 percent Americans say they support Israel over the Palestinians.
Other discouraging news for my side of this issue: And while 33 percent of the respondents say that stopping Iran from going nuclear should be a top item on the foreign policy agenda of the new President (after ending the war in Iraq, restoring economic growth worldwide, and fighting Al Qaeda), only 19 percent say resolving Israel/Palestine should be on his agenda. (And 16 percent say, Deal with unrest in Pakistan.)
2 percent of the polled were Jewish. I don’t trust Stan Greenberg especially, he did the poll, but my critics are right: Americans are for Israelis, not Palestinians.
Why? Well, because they’re not well-informed. Because the paradigm shift hasn’t taken place. Because those who speak of apartheid are railroaded out of the discourse. And because pollsters ask questions like this, from the Israel Project poll:
And, which TWO of the following are the best reasons
for the United States to stand with Israel?
Is it that…
1st Comb
35% 46% Israel
shares our values including the freedom of speech, religion, press and the
right to vote
15% 33% Israel
is under threat from Iran, a country that wants to wipe Israel off the map
12% 22% Israel
is working for peace for both sides
9% 22% Israel citizens are vulnerable to terrorist
attacks
8% 18% Israel works with America for alternative
energy solutions that can help to reduce America’s dependency on foreign oil
2% 9% Israel
uses innovation to help solve problems in the health care and technology
industries
2% 8% Israel
is America’s partner in creating good jobs
One word to Americans: No justice, no peace. Americans should be seeking a just resolution of a century-old conflict. Otherwise it will never stop. Favoring one side over the other, 57 to 6, doesn’t augur well for anybody.
